The draw for the 2026-27 UEFA Conference League league phase is being held on Friday, determining which clubs will face each other in the competition’s group-style opening stage. Teams are divided into seeded pots based on their European coefficient rankings, with the draw pairing sides from different pots to produce each club’s set of league-phase fixtures.
How does the Conference League league phase draw work?
Since UEFA revamped its three men’s club competitions, the Conference League has used a single-table “league phase” rather than traditional groups. Clubs are split into four pots of equal size according to their coefficient rating, and the computerised draw assigns each team a limited number of opponents, ensuring sides face a spread of rivals from across the different pots rather than a fixed small group.
Each club plays a set number of matches in the phase, with fixtures split roughly evenly between home and away. Results feed into a single combined standings table, and final league-phase position determines whether teams progress automatically, enter a knockout play-off round, or are eliminated from European competition altogether.
Who is competing and why does the pot allocation matter?
The participating clubs for 2026-27 come from domestic league finishes and cup competitions across UEFA’s member associations, alongside sides dropping into the Conference League from qualifying rounds of the Champions League and Europa League. Pot placement is significant because it shapes the theoretical strength of a team’s fixture list — clubs in the top pot are generally considered higher-ranked by coefficient, while those in the lowest pot are set to face a schedule containing more highly rated opposition by design.
The draw process is meant to balance fixtures fairly while still producing a varied, competitive league table, organisers have said.
What happens after the draw?
Once Friday’s draw is completed, the league phase fixtures will be confirmed and published, giving clubs and supporters a full calendar of Conference League matches for the coming season. Following the conclusion of league-phase games, the top-placed teams progress directly to the knockout stages, while those finishing in the middle bracket enter a play-off round for a place in the last 16.
