The Europa League is back for 2026/27 and it is set to be a fascinating watch. This guide has all the details on TV coverage and free live streams, ensuring you won't miss a minute of action.
- Free Streams (selected games): CBS Sports Golazo Network (US) / TRT (Turkey) / RTBF (Belgium) / TV8 (Italy) / CazeTV (Brazil)
- UK: TNT Sports / HBO Max
- US: Paramount+ / CBS Sports Network
- Watch from anywhere: Try NordVPN 100% risk free
This week sees Matchday 4 of the 36-team League Phase, with big games for the likes of Real Sociedad, Sunderland and Celtic.
After three gameweeks, five teams remain on a 100% record, although Olympiacos' run came to an end last night as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Rennes. The most impressive start has come from Bournemouth, with the Cherries taking to European football in excellent fashion. They capped off their impressive start with a 3-0 win over AC Milan last time out and now face a trip to Sparta Prague today.
Sunderland and Crystal Palace have picked up seven and four points respectively, with both sides enjoying home fixtures this week as they take on Dinamo Zagreb and TSG Hoffenheim. Real Sociedad face a tough test against Lyon, while Juventus take on AZ Alkmaar and AC Milan welcome Ferencvaros.
Celtic are already at the stage where they need a must-win result as they face Besiktas. Martin O'Neill's side are yet to pick up a point in the competition.
If you’re going to be abroad for any of the action, don’t forget that you can use a VPN to watch your usual Europa League live stream from overseas – find out more below.
Can I watch the Europa League for free?
Yes, selected Europa League games are free-to-air in specific countries across the world.
In the US, CBS Sports Golazo Network will show some games for free. You don't even need an account to stream the matches live.
Elsewhere, RTBF in Belgium, TRT in Turkey, CazeTV in Brazil and TV8 in Italy will show selected matches for free.
Abroad? Use NordVPN to unlock your free Europa League stream if you're travelling during the 2026/27 season.
Use a VPN to watch the Europa League from anywhere
Geo-restrictions apply to all major streaming services these days, but that doesn't mean you can't get your usual Europa League coverage if you're overseas.
All you need is a VPN (Virtual Private Network), a handy piece of internet security software that can make it look like your device is still back at home. Assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, you can use a VPN to unblock your usual streaming services and enjoy the football wherever you are in the world.
There are plenty of good-value options out there, but FourFourTwo’s brainy office mates TechRadar are big fans of NordVPN.
Where to watch Europa League in the UK
TNT Sports and its streaming partner HBO Max is the home of the Europa League in the UK, with every game live across the 2026/27 season either on linear TV or via the HBO Max app.
How to watch the Europa League in the US
Broadcasting giant CBS holds the exclusive Europa League rights in the US.
The Paramount+ streaming platform has every single game live, with selected matches on CBS Sports Network and the free-to-air CBS Sports Golazo Network.
Watch Europa League live streams in Canada
Watch Europa League live streams in Australia
Watch Europa League live streams in New Zealand
Europa League fixtures this week
Thursday, October 22
Fixture |
Kick-off time |
UK |
US |
|---|---|---|---|
AC Milan vs Ferencvaros |
17:45 GMT / 12:45 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Anderlecht vs RB Salzburg |
17:45 GMT / 12:45 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim |
17:45 GMT / 12:45 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Levski Sofia vs Jagiellonia Bialystok |
17:45 GMT / 12:45 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Lillestrom vs Plzen |
17:45 GMT / 12:45 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
NEC Nijmegen vs Omonia Nicosia |
17:45 GMT / 12:45 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Real Sociedad vs Lyon |
17:45 GMT / 12:45 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Sparta Prague vs Bournemouth |
17:45 GMT / 12:45 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
AZ Alkmaar vs Juventus |
20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Leverkusen vs Marseille |
20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Benfica vs Lech Poznan |
20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Celta Vigo vs Union St. Gilloise |
20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Celtic vs Besiktas |
20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Hapoel Beer Sheva vs OFI Crete |
20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Sturm Graz vs NK Celje |
20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Sunderland vs Dinamo Zagreb |
20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET |
TNT Sports / |
|
Torreense vs Ararat Armenia |
20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET |
TNT Sports / |
Europa League format
The Europa League follows the same format as the Champions League, with 36 teams competing in the league phase. Each club will play eight matches against eight different opponents, four at home and four away, with games taking place solely on Thursday nights from matchweek two onwards. The league phase runs from September 16 to January 28.
The top eight teams in the 36-team table progress straight through to the last 16, while the clubs who finish 9th-24th go into a play-off round. The eight teams who win their play-off round ties reach the last 16.
From then on, it's the traditional two-leg home-and-away ties to get to the quarter-finals and semi-finals, up to the final in Frankfurt, Germany, on May 26, 2027.
Europa League dates
Matchday 1: 16-17 September
Matchday 2: 15 October 2026
Matchday 3: 22 October 2026
Matchday 4: 5 November 2026
Matchday 5: 26 November 2026
Matchday 6: 10 December 2026
Matchday 7: 21 January 2027
Matchday 8: 28 January 2027
Knockout phase play-offs: 18 & 25 February 2027
Last 16: 11 & 18 March 2027
Quarter-finals: 8 & 15 April 2027
Semi-finals: 29 April & 6 May 2027
Final: 26 May 2027 (Frankfurt)
Europa League teams
- AC Milan
- Anderlecht
- Ararat-Armenia
- AZ Alkmaar
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Benfica
- Besiktas
- Bournemouth
- Celje
- Celta Vigo
- Celtic
- Crystal Palace
- Dinamo Zagreb
- Ferencvaros
- Hapoel Be'er Sheva
- Hoffenheim
- Jagiellonia
- Juventus
- Lech Poznan
- Levski Sofia
- Lillestrøm
- Lyon
- Marseille
- NEC Nijmegen
- OFI Crete
- Olympiacos
- Omonia
- RB Salzburg
- Real Sociedad
- Rennes
- Sparta Prague
- Sturm Graz
- Sunderland
- Torreense
- Union Saint-Gilloise
- Viktoria Plzen
We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
