The 2026/27 Europa League group-stage draw has been made, and the three Premier League representatives—AFC Bournemouth, Sunderland AFC and Crystal Palace—now know the eight opponents each will face in the league phase.
Bournemouth qualified by finishing sixth in the Premier League last season, while Sunderland came seventh. Crystal Palace earned their place by winning the Europa Conference League.
Historic firsts for Bournemouth and Sunderland
For Bournemouth, this marks the first European campaign in the club's 127-year history. Sunderland are competing in Europe for the first time since 1973.
The draw pits the English clubs against a range of Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1 sides. The league phase sees each team play eight different opponents once, with the top eight advancing automatically to the knockout rounds. Teams finishing between ninth and 24th enter a two-legged play-off for the last 16, while those placed 25th to 36th are eliminated.
English clubs' opponents
Crystal Palace will face Real Sociedad, Lyon, Sparta Praha, Salzburg, Lech Poznan, Jagiellonia, Hoffenheim and Besiktas.
Bournemouth meet Milan, Real Sociedad, Viktoria Plzen, Sparta Praha, Sturm Graz, Celta, H. Beer-Sheva and Lillestrom.
Sunderland take on AZ Alkmaar, Milan, GNK Dinamo, Anderlecht, Jagiellonia, Lech Poznan, Levski Sofia and Torreense.
Schedule and format
Each team faces two sides from each of the four pots and cannot meet a club from their own country. Matches follow a home-away pattern across eight matchdays, beginning September 16-17, 2026, and concluding January 28, 2027.
The knockout play-offs are set for February 18 and 25, 2027, with the round of 16 on March 11 and 18, quarter-finals on April 8 and 15, semi-finals on April 29 and May 6, and the final on May 26, 2027.
