Europa League draw pits Lyon and Marseille against Leverkusen as Rennes draws Juventus

Draw overview in Monaco

UEFA conducted the league phase draws for the Europa League and Conference League on Friday, 28 August 2026 in Monaco. The 36 clubs participating in the 2026-2027 Europa League league phase will each compete in eight matches against eight distinct opponents between 16 September 2026 and January 2027. French sides Olympique Lyonnais, Olympique de Marseille, and Stade Rennais learned their scheduled opponents across the competition. Finishing within the top eight positions of the overall league table guarantees direct qualification for the round of 16.

Lyon's European campaign and reunion

Olympique Lyonnais entered the Europa League after losing to Turkish club Fenerbahce in their final Champions League qualifying playoff on Wednesday. Placed in Pot 1 for the draw, Lyon avoided Italian sides Juventus and AC Milan. Lyon will host German club Bayer Leverkusen, the team holding the highest UEFA coefficient among all 36 participants in the tournament. The French club also stages a home match against English side Crystal Palace, who are managed by former Lyon head coach Pierre Sage. Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise and Norwegian side Lillestrom complete Lyon's home schedule. For away fixtures, Lyon travels to Spain to play Real Sociedad, to Belgium against Anderlecht, to Poland to face Jagiellonia, and to Germany against Hoffenheim. In the previous Europa League campaign, Lyon finished first in the league phase before exiting in the round of 16 against Celta Vigo.

Marseille and Rennes face continental tests

Olympique de Marseille earned direct qualification to the Europa League league phase after finishing fifth in Ligue 1 during the 2025-2026 domestic season. Placed in Pot 1, the squad managed by Bruno Genesio will host Greek club Olympiacos, Belgian side Anderlecht, Spanish team Celta Vigo, and Bulgarian side Levski Sofia at the Stade Velodrome. Marseille's four away fixtures require trips to Germany against Bayer Leverkusen, to Scotland against Celtic, to Austria against Sturm Graz, and to Turkey against Besiktas. Marseille previously reached the Europa League semifinals in 2024 before losing to eventual tournament winners Atalanta.

Stade Rennais returned to continental competition after a two-year absence following a sixth-place finish in Ligue 1. Placed in Pot 2, Rennes drew an away match against Italian club Juventus in Turin. The Breton team also travels to the Czech Republic to face Sparta Prague, to Austria against Sturm Graz, and to the Netherlands to play NEC Nijmegen. At home, Rennes hosts Olympiacos, Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb, Cypriot side Omonia Nicosia, and Greek team OFI Crete.

Monaco's Conference League pathway

AS Monaco learned their six opponents for the Conference League league phase, which begins on 15 October 2026. At home at Stade Louis-II, Monaco will play German club Freiburg, who reached the final of the Europa League last season, alongside Gibraltar's Lincoln Red Imps and Danish team Nordsjaelland. Monaco's three away matches feature trips to England to play Premier League side Brighton, to Scotland against Heart of Midlothian, and to Bulgaria against CSKA Sofia.