Alex MacQuoid
The UEFA Europa League league phase concluded on January 29, 2026, leaving Aston Villa safely through to the final 16. While Unai Emery’s men secured a 3-2 victory over FC Salzburg to claim a top-eight finish, Nottingham Forest must take a more difficult route. Despite finishing 13th in the standings following a 4-0 win against Ferencvaros, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side faces a daunting trip to Istanbul after being drawn against Fenerbahce.
The seeded status earned by Nottingham Forest grants them the minor advantage of hosting the second leg at the City Ground. They join a seeded group featuring Bologna, Stuttgart, and Celta Vigo. These clubs finished between 9th and 16th in the reformed league table, avoiding the immediate elimination that met those ranked 25th and below.
Celtic progressed to the knockout stages by finishing 21st, placing them in the unseeded pot. Their reward is a two-legged tie against Stuttgart. The Scottish champions will host the first leg at Celtic Park on February 19, 2026, before traveling to Germany for the decider on February 26, 2026.
The draw sets up several high-profile clashes across the continent. Red Star Belgrade will meet Lille in a matchup of Champions League regulars, while Viktoria Plzen prepares for a hostile atmosphere against Panathinaikos.
Full Europa League Play-Off Draw
| Seeded Team | vs | Unseeded Team |
|---|---|---|
| Genk | – | Dinamo Zagreb |
| Bologna | – | Brann |
| Stuttgart | – | Celtic |
| Ferencvaros | – | Ludogorets |
| Nottingham Forest | – | Fenerbahce |
| Viktoria Plzen | – | Panathinaikos |
| Red Star Belgrade | – | Lille |
| Celta Vigo | – | PAOK |
Automatic qualifiers already waiting in the Round of 16 include technical heavyweights AS Roma, FC Porto, and Lyon. Outside of the English interest, Real Betis, SC Braga, Freiburg, and FC Midtjylland also bypassed this round by securing top-eight finishes during the frantic final matchday where all 36 teams competed simultaneously.
Winners of these play-off ties will advance to the Round of 16 draw on February 27, 2026. Follow TipsGG for deeper tactical analysis of the upcoming knockout rounds.