The wait is finally over. Sp. Braga officially locked in their spot for the Europa League with a decisive 5-1 victory over Lincoln Red Imps. This win fills the last opening for the competition’s regular phase. They join FC Porto, who will also be a part of the action. Both Portuguese teams are now focused on the big draw. It all happens tomorrow, Friday, at 12:00 PM, when they learn their paths. Every team shares the same goal: reaching the final on May 20, set to take place at Besiktas Park in Istanbul. That’s the ultimate prize for this exciting journey.
FC Porto, known as the Dragons, finds themselves in a strong position. They are in Pot 1 for the draw. In fact, they have the second-highest coefficient among all teams in this draw, with only AS Roma ahead of them. This gives them a favorable seeding. Meanwhile, Sp. Braga, often called the Arsenalists, will be placed in Pot 2. This setup means they will face different challenges from the start.
The road to Istanbul is long, but the key dates are now set. Teams will play many matches to advance.
Europa League Key Dates:
- Regular Phase: From September 24 to January 29.
- Playoff Round: February 19 and 26.
- Round of 16: March 12 and 19.
- Quarter-Finals: April 9 and 16.
- Semi-Finals: April 30 and May 7.
- Final: May 20.
Here is a full look at all the teams involved. They are grouped by their pots for the upcoming draw.
All Teams and Their Draw Pots:
Pot 1:
- Roma
- FC PORTO
- Rangers
- Feyenoord
- Lille
- Dinamo Zagreb
- Betis
- Salzburg
- Aston Villa
Pot 2:
- Fenerbahçe
- SP. BRAGA
- Red Star Belgrade
- Lyon
- PAOK
- Viktoria Plzen
- Ferencvaros
- Celtic
- Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Pot 3:
- Young Boys
- Basel
- Midtjylland
- Freiburg
- Ludogorets
- Nottingham Forest
- Sturm Graz
- FCSB
- Nice
Pot 4:
- Bologna
- Celta de Vigo
- Stuttgart
- Panathinaikos
- Malmö
- Utrecht
- Go Ahead Eagles
- Genk
- Brann