Europa League dates Sunderland fans need after dramatic qualification | OneFootball

Sunderland are back on the European stage after a final day 2-1 win over Chelsea secured a Europa League place, with key 2026-27 dates now set.

According to Sunderland Echo, Sunderland and Bournemouth go straight into the Europa League phase, guaranteeing eight fixtures, four at home and four away, while Brighton must qualify for the Conference League phase.

Teams will be seeded into four pots by coefficient. Each club will face two opponents from each pot, playing one at home and one away. After eight gameweeks, the top eight advance directly to the last 16, the bottom eight are out, and those in 16th to 24th enter a two-legged knockout round.

The draw for the league phase is on Friday 28 August 2026. Matchdays fall on 16 to 17 September, 15 and 22 October, 5 and 26 November, and 10 December 2026, then 21 and 28 January 2027.

Head coach Regis Le Bris urged humility, saying the schedule will be demanding and that while the club feel well structured, they will not set limits for next season. He stressed the priority is to be strong in the Premier League given the traditionally difficult second season, with the Europa League a new chapter. He added that it is early to anticipate summer developments but believes the club are well aligned.

The final is scheduled for 26 May 2027 at the Waldstadion in Frankfurt.

Source: Sunderland Echo