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Nigerian football fans have plenty to look forward to in the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League and Conference League, with several Super Eagles stars and Nigerian-eligible talents drawn into standout ties across England and beyond.
Sunderland, back in Europe for the first time since 1973, will send Nigerian duo Ahmed Abdullahi and Ajibola Alese to the San Siro after being paired with seven-time European champions AC Milan – a club now home to Nigerian international Samuel Chukwueze. The Black Cats, who finished seventh in the Premier League, will face Milan in one of eight league-phase games.
One of Sunderland’s four away trips comes against European debutants Torreense. The Portuguese second-tier side shocked Sporting CP to lift the Portuguese Cup and qualify for Europe, but with their 2,500-capacity home ground in Torres Vedras falling short of Uefa’s standards, they’ll host matches 193 miles away at the Estadio Algarve in Faro.
Bournemouth, also making their European bow, will host Chukwueze’s Milan on home soil and face Real Sociedad among their eight fixtures – a tie Nigerian fans will watch closely given the wealth of Super Eagles interest in Italian and Spanish football.
Last season’s Conference League winners Crystal Palace, now in the Europa League after their demotion from the competition for breaching multi-club ownership rules, have the toughest draw of the three English sides. Nigerian forward Christantus Uche and his Palace teammates will face Lyon, Real Sociedad and Besiktas under Pierre Sage.
Scottish champions Celtic, who fell into the Europa League after blowing a four-goal lead against LASK in Champions League qualifying, take on Marseille, Benfica and Besiktas.
In the Conference League, Brighton — home to Nigerian winger Zadok Yohanna, signed this summer from AIK Stockholm — have been drawn against AS Monaco and Getafe among their six games.
Hearts have also landed Monaco, plus a trip to Mohamed Salah’s Trabzonspor.
The Europa League final takes place in Frankfurt on 26 May, with the Conference League final in Istanbul six days later.
In the Europa League, each of the 36 teams plays eight different opponents — four at home, four away. The top eight after the league phase go straight to the round of 16; teams finishing 9th–24th enter a two-legged play-off round; those from 25th down are eliminated with no route into another European competition.
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The Conference League follows the same structure but with six games each (three home, three away), and the same top-eight/play-off/elimination cut-offs.
Aston Villa won the Europa League last season. In the Conference League, Crystal Palace beat Zrinjski Mostar in the play-off after finishing 10th in the league phase, then saw off AEK Larnaca, Fiorentina and Shakhtar Donetsk before beating Rayo Vallecano in the Leipzig final — their first European trophy.
Europa League fixtures
Sunderland: AZ Alkmaar (H), AC Milan (A), GNK Dinamo (H), Anderlecht (A), Jagiellonia (H), Lech Poznan (A), Levski Sofia (H), Torreense (A)
Bournemouth: AC Milan (H), Real Sociedad (A), Viktoria Plzen (H), Sparta Praha (A), Sturm Graz (H), Celta Vigo (A), Hapoel Be’er Sheva (H), Lillestrom (A)
Crystal Palace: Real Sociedad (H), Lyon (A), Sparta Praha (H), Salzburg (A), Lech Poznan (H), Jagiellonia (A), Hoffenheim (H), Besiktas (A)
Celtic: Marseille (H), Benfica (A), Ferencvaros (H), Union SG (A), Celta Vigo (H), Omonia (A), Besiktas (H), Torreense (A)
Conference League fixtures
Brighton: Monaco (H), Panathinaikos (A), Craiova (H), Getafe (A), Kauno Zalgiris (H), Jablonec (A)
Hearts: Monaco (H), Pafos (A), Borac (H), Trabzonspor (A), Nordsjaelland (H), Thun (A)
