Aston Villa Europa League fixtures, schedule, squad 2025/26

After missing out on consecutive Champions League qualifications on goal difference, Aston Villa are in the Europa League for the first time since the competition was rebranded from the UEFA Cup in 2009.

The Villans have never been beyond the quarter-finals but reached the knockout stage in 2008/09, losing to CSKA Moscow in the last 32.

Having narrowly lost to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain in last season’s Champions League quarter-finals, the Premier League side started the 2025/26 Europa League as favourites to lift the trophy.

Check out Aston Villa’s fixtures, results and squad for the 2025/26 Europa League and take a look at the schedule for the league phase and beyond.

Footballers playing for Aston Villa Football Club

Aston Villa Europa League fixtures, results 2025/26

Villa’s opponents in the league phase include reigning Israeli champions Maccabi Tel Aviv and Swiss title holders Basel.

Fenerbahce were runners-up in Turkiye and Salzburg finished second in Austria, while Bologna (Italy), Go Ahead Eagles (Netherlands) and Young Boys (Switzerland) won the primary domestic cup competitions in their countries.

Feyenoord, who won the second of their UEFA Cup titles in 2001/02, finished third in the Eredivisie but were knocked out of Champions League qualifying.

All fixtures start at 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT unless stated otherwise.

Thursday, September 25: Villa vs Bologna

Thursday, October 2: Feyenoord vs Villa

Thursday, October 23: Go Ahead Eagles vs Villa (17:45)

Thursday, November 6: Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

Thursday, November 27: Villa vs Young Boys (17:45)

Thursday, December 11: Basel vs Villa

Thursday, January 22, 2026: Fenerbahce vs Villa (17:45)

Thursday, January 29: Villa vs Salzburg

Aston Villa Europa League squad 2025/26

Villa’s List A Europa League squad has been registered until the round of 16 in February 2026, when clubs can add a maximum of three new players within the existing limit of 25.

Goalkeepers: Emi Martinez, Marco Bizot

Defenders: Matty Cash, Victor Lindelof, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne, Pau Torres

Midfielders: Andres García, Ian Maatsen, John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, Jadon Sancho, Amadou Onana, Boubacar Kamara, Harvey Elliott

Forwards: Emi Buendía, Ollie Watkins, Donyell Malen, Morgan Rogers, Evann Guessand

List B submissions, comprised of players born after January 1, 2004 who have been eligible to play for the club for an uninterrupted period of two years since their 15th birthday, can also be made until midnight before each match.

Aston Villa Europa League schedule 2025/26

In a change from the previous group stage held until 2023/24, each team now plays eight matches in the league phase, all against different opponents.

The top eight sides in the table qualify automatically for the round of 16. The teams finishing in ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout phase play-off to reach the last 16.

Teams finishing 25th or lower are out of Europe for the season.

Knockout phase play-offs: February 17/18 & 24/25 2026

Round of 16: March 10/11 & 17/18 2026

Quarter-finals: April 7/8 & 14/15 2026

Semi-finals: April 28/29 and May 5/6 2026

Final: May 30 2026

When are the Europa League draws?

Knockout phase play-offs: January 30 2026

Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and final: February 27 2026

Which English clubs are in the Europa League 2025/26?

Villa qualified by finishing sixth in 2024/25, although they would have been in the Champions League had they not lost at Manchester United on the final day.

Nottingham Forest’s participation comes after they were promoted from the Conference League because of a UEFA ruling against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace, upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

When is the Europa League final?

The final will take place on May 20 2026 at the Besiktas Stadium home of 16-time Turkish champions Besiktas.

The stadium hosted a dramatic 2019 Super Cup final, Chelsea and Liverpool each scoring once during regular and extra time before the Reds won on penalties following the 2-2 draw.