A total of 36 teams will compete in the league phase, with each club playing six matches against six different opponents. The top eight advance directly to the round of 16, while the teams finishing between ninth and 24th enter the knockout play-offs for the remaining eight places. The six matchdays will be played between 15 October and 17 December, with the final scheduled for 2 June 2027 at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul.
Ajax v Atalanta stands out as the marquee clash
The biggest fixture of the league phase will arguably take place in Amsterdam. Ajax host Atalanta in a meeting between two clubs that would not look out of place in a higher-tier European competition. The Dutch giants have won the European Cup or Champions League four times, while Atalanta lifted the Europa League in 2024.
The fixture also has a relatively recent history. In the 2020/21 Champions League group stage, the first meeting in Bergamo ended 2-2. On the final matchday, the two sides met again in Amsterdam with a place in the round of 16 directly at stake. Atalanta won 1-0 courtesy of a late goal and sent Ajax into the Europa League. Six years later, they meet again at the same venue.
Ajax also get the chance to avenge their Getafe exit
Ajax’s other particularly intriguing home fixture also comes with history. Getafe caused one of the bigger surprises of the 2019/20 Europa League campaign when they knocked the Dutch side out in the round of 32. The Spaniards won the first leg 2-0 and held on despite losing 2-1 in Amsterdam.
That gave Getafe a 3-2 aggregate victory. For an Ajax side that had sensationally reached the Champions League semi-finals only one season earlier, it was a major disappointment. This time there will be only one meeting — once again in Amsterdam.
Monaco v Brighton: two potential contenders meet
One of the highest-quality fixtures on paper will take place on England’s south coast, where Brighton & Hove Albion host AS Monaco. The Premier League club have the financial resources and squad depth to rank among the strongest sides in this year’s Conference League. Monaco, by contrast, bring far greater European tradition and experience and reached the Champions League final in 2004.
Brighton have been handed a demanding overall schedule. Alongside Monaco, they face away trips to Panathinaikos and Getafe, while Universitatea Craiova, Kauno Žalgiris and Jablonec look like more favourable assignments. The journeys to Athens and Getafe in particular could prove uncomfortable.
Freiburg face Monaco and familiar opposition from Greece
SC Freiburg can also look forward to an attractive away trip to Monaco. After reaching last season’s Europa League final, the Bundesliga side should be considered one of the stronger teams in the Conference League. Freiburg lost that final 3-0 to Aston Villa, but the experience gained during the run to the showpiece could help lift the club onto a new level internationally in the medium term.
Away from Monaco, Freiburg also travel to Trabzonspor, while Panathinaikos, Twente and Jablonec visit Germany. Their programme is completed by a comparatively favourable away game against Kauno Žalgiris. Freiburg qualified for the league phase in emphatic fashion, beating Motherwell 3-1 and 4-1 in the play-offs. A top-24 finish should therefore be the absolute minimum target for Julian Schuster’s side, while direct qualification for the round of 16 via the top eight also appears realistic.
Red Star and Trabzonspor meet again
Plenty of atmosphere can be expected when Red Star Belgrade take on Trabzonspor. Both clubs have passionate fanbases and were drawn together in the same Europa League group in 2022/23. On that occasion, each side won its home game 2-1. Red Star also boast the greatest European achievement of any participant apart from Ajax, having won the European Cup in 1991.
The league phase also offers several classic David-versus-Goliath encounters. Lincoln Red Imps from Gibraltar, for example, must travel to Monaco. Inter Escaldes are making history as the first club from Andorra to reach the group or league phase of a UEFA club competition and will face, among others, FC Copenhagen, Red Star and Getafe. In total, 30 different nations are represented in the Conference League.
Rapid and Austria’s conquerors handed prominent opponents
Heart of Midlothian reached the league phase after two dramatic play-off matches against SK Rapid. With the tie level at 4-4 on aggregate, the Scots won the return leg in Vienna on penalties. They have now been rewarded with a home game against Monaco. Hearts will also host Borac Banja Luka and Nordsjælland, while away trips to Trabzonspor, Pafos and FC Thun complete their schedule. The journey to Turkey in particular looks like one of their toughest assignments.
SC Braga eliminated Austria Wien in relatively unspectacular fashion with a 2-0 aggregate win and appear to have been handed a slightly more manageable programme. The Portuguese side will host Gent, KuPS Kuopio and Egnatia, while travelling to Copenhagen, Aarhus and Brann Bergen. Copenhagen and Gent represent the biggest sporting challenges, but Braga should still be regarded as one of the candidates for a top-eight finish.
Freiburg well placed, Swiss clubs face tougher routes
Alongside Freiburg, Lugano and Thun represent the German-speaking region. Lugano will host Red Star, Sint-Truidense and Kauno Žalgiris, with away games against Copenhagen, Getafe and Jablonec. After beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-1 and drawing 1-1 in the play-offs, the Swiss side should be capable of competing well in the league phase. A top-24 finish is realistic, although reaching the top eight would require almost everything to fall into place.
The draw looks considerably tougher for FC Thun. The Swiss club must travel to Ajax, Twente and CSKA Sofia, while Gent, Hearts and Hajduk Split will visit Switzerland. Thun dropped into the Conference League after a clear defeat to Lech Poznań in the Europa League play-offs. Given the strength of their six opponents, even a place in the top 24 would represent a notable success. Freiburg, by contrast, should clearly be considered among the candidates for direct qualification to the round of 16.
