The Europa League group stage reached a dramatic conclusion on Thursday night, confirming the eight teams that have secured direct passage to the Round of 16 and the 16 clubs destined for the high-stakes February playoffs.
In a night of narrow margins, Lyon clinched the top spot overall after a thrilling 3-2 victory over PAOK, edging out Aston Villa on goal difference. Meanwhile, AS Roma survived a tense -1-1 draw against Panathinaikos to ensure they avoid the playoff round and head straight into the March knockouts.
The Elite Eight: Straight to the Round of 16
These teams have finished as the top performers of the group stage and will not play again in Europe until March. The draw this Friday will determine their potential paths toward the final in Istanbul.
- Lyon (21 pts)
- Aston Villa (21 pts)
- Midtjylland (19 pts)
- Real Betis (17 pts)
- Porto (17 pts)
- Braga (17 pts)
- Freiburg (17 pts)
- AS Roma (16 pts)
The 2025/26 league phase is complete ✅#UEL pic.twitter.com/LqA9U8z4K3
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) January 29, 2026
The Playoff Scramble: 16 Teams, 8 Spots
The teams finishing from 9th to 24th place must now face a two-legged playoff in late February. This list includes heavyweights like Fenerbahçe, Nottingham Forest, and Celtic, all fighting to keep their European dreams alive.
Playoff Contenders:
- 16 pts: Racing Genk
- 15 pts: Bologna, VfB Stuttgart, Ferencváros
- 14 pts: Nottingham Forest, Viktoria Plzen, Red Star Belgrade
- 13 pts: Celta de Vigo
- 12 pts: PAOK, Lille, Fenerbahçe, Panathinaikos
- 11 pts: Celtic
- 10 pts: Ludogorets, Dinamo Zagreb
- 9 pts: SK Brann
Destination: Istanbul
The road to the title ends on May 20, 2026, at the historic Beşiktaş Stadium in Istanbul. With the draw taking place this Friday morning, fans across the continent are bracing for some massive potential matchups, as the Champions League “drop-outs” no longer exist in this new format—making every match a pure Europa League battle.
Thiago Nuno is a football editor and analyst covering European leagues, match statistics, and transfer market trends.
