Europa League Draw: Palace, Bournemouth and Sunderland learn fate

The Premier League's representatives in the UEFA Europa League and Europa Conference League have discovered their league-phase opponents following Friday's draws in Monaco.

Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Sunderland will compete in the Europa League, while Brighton & Hove Albion will represent England in the Conference League.

The draw has produced several eye-catching fixtures, including Bournemouth's meeting with seven-time European Cup winners AC Milan and Sunderland's trip to the San Siro.

Crystal Palace face an especially demanding schedule, with Lyon, Besiktas and Red Bull Salzburg among their opponents.

Bournemouth handed AC Milan test

Bournemouth will make their European debut with a particularly attractive home fixture against AC Milan.

The Italian giants are among the biggest names in the Europa League and have won the European Cup seven times. Bournemouth will also travel to face Sparta Prague in what promises to be another challenging away fixture.

Their complete Europa League schedule includes:

• AC Milan (H)
• Real Sociedad (A)
• Viktoria Plzen (H)
• Sparta Prague (A)
• Sturm Graz (H)
• Celta Vigo (A)
• Hapoel Be'er Sheva (H)
• Lillestrom (A)

The Cherries' first appearance in European competition will therefore begin with several demanding fixtures across the league phase.

Palace face difficult Europa League campaign

Crystal Palace, the reigning Europa Conference League winners, have been handed one of the more difficult schedules among the Premier League representatives.

They will welcome Real Sociedad, Sparta Prague, Lech Poznan and Hoffenheim, while their away trips include Lyon, Red Bull Salzburg, Jagiellonia and Besiktas.

The matches against Lyon and Besiktas stand out, with both clubs possessing significant experience of competing at the highest level of European football.

Palace will also travel to Salzburg, where the Austrian side have enjoyed sustained domestic success.

Their complete schedule is:

• Real Sociedad (H)
• Lyon (A)
• Sparta Prague (H)
• Red Bull Salzburg (A)
• Lech Poznan (H)
• Jagiellonia (A)
• Hoffenheim (H)
• Besiktas (A)

Sunderland return to Europe after 53 years

Sunderland are back in European competition for the first time in 53 years and have been drawn against AC Milan, among others.

The Black Cats will host AZ Alkmaar and Dinamo, while their away fixtures include trips to the San Siro and Lech Poznan.

One of the more unusual fixtures will see Sunderland travel to face Torreense.

The Portuguese club's 2,500-capacity stadium is too small for the fixture, meaning the match will instead be played at the Estadio Algarve in Faro, around 193 miles away.

Sunderland's opponents are:

• AZ Alkmaar (H)
• AC Milan (A)
• Dinamo (H)
• Jagiellonia (H)
• Levski Sofia (H)
• Lech Poznan (A)
• Torreense (A)

Brighton face Monaco in Conference League

Brighton will compete in the Europa Conference League and have been drawn against Monaco, Panathinaikos, Universitatea Craiova, Getafe, Kauno Zalgiris, Jablonec, Viking and Slavia Prague.

The Seagulls will host Monaco, one of France's most successful clubs and a former Champions League finalist, while they will travel to Greece to meet 20-time champions Panathinaikos.

Brighton will also welcome Romanian double winners Universitatea Craiova to England.

Their Conference League schedule is:

• Monaco (H)
• Panathinaikos (A)
• Universitatea Craiova (H)
• Getafe (A)
• Kauno Zalgiris (H)
• Jablonec (A)
• Viking (H)
• Slavia Prague (A)

European league-phase format explained

The Europa League league phase consists of eight matches for each club. Teams face two opponents from each of the four pots, with the Premier League's three representatives all placed in pot three based on UEFA coefficient rankings from the previous five seasons.

The Conference League format is different, with each team playing six league-phase matches against opponents from the six pots.

In both competitions, the top eight teams in the league phase progress directly to the last 16. Teams finishing between ninth and 24th enter the knockout phase play-offs, while those finishing below 24th are eliminated.

When are the Europa League matches?

The Europa League league phase begins in September, with the first matchday scheduled for 16 and 17 September 2026.

The remaining matchdays are scheduled for 15 October, 22 October, 5 November, 26 November and 10 December, before the final two league-phase rounds take place on 21 and 28 January 2027.

The Europa League final will be played in Frankfurt on 26 May 2027.

When does Brighton's Conference League campaign begin?

Brighton's Conference League league phase begins on 15 October 2026.

The six matchdays run through December, with the final league-phase fixtures scheduled for 17 December.

The Conference League final will take place in Istanbul on 2 June 2027.

With four Premier League clubs now knowing their European opponents, the attention turns to the fixtures themselves and how the additional demands of European football could affect their domestic campaigns.

Key Takeaways

• Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Sunderland will compete in the Europa League.
• Brighton & Hove Albion will play in the Europa Conference League.
• Bournemouth will face AC Milan in their first European campaign.
• Sunderland will also travel to the San Siro to face AC Milan.
• Crystal Palace have been drawn against Lyon, Besiktas and Red Bull Salzburg.
• Brighton will face Monaco, Panathinaikos and Universitatea Craiova among their opponents.
• The Europa League league phase begins on 16 September 2026.
• Brighton's Conference League campaign starts on 15 October 2026.

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