The Independent
·26 febbraio 2026
When is the Conference League draw for the last 16? Date, time and qualified teams

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Yahoo sportsThe Independent
·26 febbraio 2026

The draw for the knockout rounds of the Europa Conference League will be completed this week as teams including Crystal Palace learn their potential route to May’s final in Leipzig.
Tonight’s midweek play-off matches will send eight teams though to the last 16 to join the clubs who finished in the top eight of the league phase, with the likes of Strasbourg, Sparta Praha and Shakhtar Donetsk possibly joined by sole Premier League representatives Palace.
The outline of the draw has already been made, with teams grouped into small four-way pools of possible opponents based on their league placings.
The Eagles, who finished 10th in the league phase, would face either German side Mainz or Cypriot club AEK Larnaca if they are able to navigate safely through their play-off tie against Zrinksji Mostar, which is currently poised at 1-1 ahead of the second leg at Selhurst Park.
The Conference League last-16 draw will take place in Nyon at 1pm GMT (2pm local time) on Friday 27 February.
The draw will be streamed live on Uefa’s website, YouTube channel and Conference League app.
The top eight sides in this season’s Conference League league phase await in the knockout rounds. They are:
The teams who finished between ninth and 24th in the league phase went into the play-offs. The second legs are being played this week:
The teams have been grouped into seeded couplets according to how they finished in the league phase, so, for example, Strasbourg (who finished top) or Rakow Czestochowa (who finished second) will play the winners of either Omonoia vs Rijeka or Fiorentina vs Jagiellonia.
Teams from the same national league can play each other in the knockout rounds.
Here are the possible last-16 draw permutations:
Strasbourg and Rakow Czestochowa will be drawn against:
Rayo Vallecano and Shakhtar Donetsk will be drawn against:
Mainz and AEK Larnaca will be drawn against:
The last-16 ties will take place in mid-March. Here are the remaining round dates:
Round of 16: 11/12 & 18/19 March 2026









































