Celtic handed Marseille and Benfica tests in Europa League draw

Celtic will face Marseille and Benfica in the 2026-27 Europa League league phase, while Haitham Hassan’s side have also been drawn against Ferencvarosi, Union Saint-Gilloise, Celta Vigo, Omonia Nicosia, Besiktas and Torreense.

The draw has produced a number of high-profile matches, including a meeting between Bayer Leverkusen and Marseille, as well as another contest involving Bayer Leverkusen and Olympique Lyonnais. Benfica will face AC Milan, while Juventus have been paired with Real Sociedad.

The draw features 36 teams in the Europa League league phase, with the clubs divided into four pots of nine teams. Each side will play eight matches, facing two opponents from each pot.

Every team will have four home fixtures and four away games during the league phase. The format replaces the traditional group-stage system and will determine which clubs progress directly to the knockout rounds.

The eight highest-ranked teams in the final league table will automatically qualify for the last 16. Clubs finishing between ninth and 16th will enter a play-off round against teams placed from 17th to 24th, with the winners claiming the remaining eight places in the round of 16.

Celtic’s schedule includes a particularly demanding set of opponents. In addition to French club Marseille and Portuguese giants Benfica, they will meet Hungarian side Ferencvarosi, Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise and Spanish outfit Celta Vigo.

Their other three fixtures are against Omonia Nicosia of Cyprus, Turkish club Besiktas and Portuguese side Torreense. The presence of Hassan means the draw also carries particular interest for Egyptian football supporters.

The league phase will begin in September 2026 and run until the end of January 2027. The opening round of fixtures is scheduled for 16 and 17 September, with the second round taking place on 15 October.

The third round will be played on 22 October, followed by the fourth on 5 November. Matches in round five are scheduled for 26 November, while the sixth round will be held on 10 December.

The final two rounds will take place in the new year. Round seven is scheduled for 21 January 2027, with the eighth and final league-phase round set for 28 January.

UEFA will announce the confirmed dates and kick-off times for the individual matches next Sunday.

The draw has therefore set up both a challenging campaign for Celtic and a series of notable clashes between leading European clubs, with Benfica against AC Milan and Juventus against Real Sociedad among the most prominent fixtures.