Europa League 2026–27: Milan, Benfica and Lyon Feature in Matchday One

Anderlecht (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – October 9, 2026 – The 2026–27 UEFA Europa League league phase began on 16 September, with matches continuing on 17 September. Benfica defeated Milan 2–0, while Lyon secured a 2–1 away victory against Anderlecht. Juventus, Crystal Palace, Beşiktaş and Sparta Praha also recorded wins, while Bournemouth and Portuguese club Torreense began their European campaigns with victories. The opening round featured 36 clubs competing across 18 matches as the competition entered its third season under the league-phase format.

What Were the Main Fixtures of the Europa League Opening Matchday?

The opening matchday of the 2026–27 UEFA Europa League brought together clubs from across Europe for the first round of the league phase. Among the principal fixtures were Milan against Benfica and Anderlecht against Lyon, with both matches producing victories for the visiting teams.

Benfica beat Milan 2–0 on 16 September. Lyon also collected three points away from home, defeating Anderlecht 2–1 in Brussels. Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen beat Celje 2–0, while Sparta Praha secured a 4–1 victory against Ararat-Armenia.

The first round also saw Omonia face Celta, Olympiacos take on Jagiellonia, Hapoel Beer-Sheva meet GNK Dinamo, and Sturm Graz face Rennes. Sunderland, making its first appearance in the competition, defeated AZ Alkmaar 1–0.

The remaining fixtures took place on 17 September. Juventus defeated N.E.C. Nijmegen 5–0, Crystal Palace beat Lech Poznań 4–0, and Beşiktaş overcame Marseille 4–1. Bournemouth won 2–1 away to Real Sociedad, while Torreense defeated Lillestrøm by the same scoreline.

UEFA’s official results confirmed that the 18 opening-round matches were divided between Wednesday and Thursday. The results established the initial standings ahead of the second matchday, scheduled for 15 October 2026.

How Did Benfica Defeat Milan in Their Opening Match?

Benfica began their league-phase campaign with a 2–0 victory over Milan on 16 September. The Portuguese side scored twice to secure an away win in one of the opening round’s prominent fixtures.

According to Reuters, Dodi Lukebakio and Jakub Kaminski scored for Benfica. Milan were unable to find a goal during the match, allowing the visitors to leave with all three points.

The result gave Benfica a positive start to their European campaign, while Milan began the competition without a point from their opening fixture.

The match was part of a demanding opening programme for both clubs, with the league phase requiring each participating team to face eight different opponents. The format places importance on results across the entire league phase rather than on a traditional group containing a fixed set of opponents.

Benfica’s subsequent league-phase schedule included a home fixture against Celtic on 15 October, followed by an away match against Omonia on 22 October. Milan were scheduled to travel to Salzburg on 15 October before facing Bournemouth on 22 October.

These fixtures formed part of the eight-match programme announced by UEFA for the 2026–27 competition.

Why Did Lyon Begin Their Campaign With a Victory Against Anderlecht?

Lyon defeated Anderlecht 2–1 in Brussels on 16 September, scoring twice in the first half before conceding after the interval.

Noah Nartey opened the scoring for Lyon in the eighth minute. Keito Nakamura extended the visitors’ advantage in the 22nd minute, giving the French club a two-goal lead.

Anderlecht responded in the second half through Mihajlo Cvetković, who scored in the 61st minute. However, Lyon maintained their advantage until the final whistle.

The result was confirmed by UEFA and was also recorded by established football publications, including L’Équipe and The Guardian.

Lyon’s next league-phase fixture was scheduled for 15 October against Crystal Palace. Anderlecht were due to visit GNK Dinamo on the same date.

The opening match demonstrated the importance of converting early scoring opportunities into a lead. Lyon scored twice before the interval, while Anderlecht’s second-half response reduced the deficit but did not change the final result.

Both teams had seven further league-phase fixtures scheduled after the opening round, leaving the competition standings to be determined over the remaining matches.

Which Clubs Recorded the Biggest Wins on Matchday One?

Several teams began the competition with victories by three or more goals.

Juventus recorded the largest winning margin among the matches played on 17 September, defeating N.E.C. Nijmegen 5–0. Crystal Palace also produced a substantial result, beating Lech Poznań 4–0.

Sparta Praha won 4–1 away to Ararat-Armenia on 16 September. Beşiktaş recorded another four-goal performance on 17 September, defeating Marseille 4–1.

Union Saint-Gilloise secured a 3–0 away victory against Viktoria Plzeň, while OFI Crete beat Hoffenheim 2–0.

These results were among the confirmed outcomes listed in UEFA’s official matchday report.

How Did Juventus Perform Against N.E.C. Nijmegen?

Juventus defeated N.E.C. Nijmegen 5–0 on 17 September. The Italian club scored five times without conceding, giving it a clear victory in its opening fixture.

The result placed Juventus among the teams to record a winning start to the league phase. Their subsequent schedule included an away fixture against Celta on 15 October and a home match against Rennes on 22 October.

N.E.C. Nijmegen, meanwhile, began its campaign with a defeat. The Dutch club’s next fixture was scheduled against Levski Sofia on 15 October, followed by a meeting with GNK Dinamo on 22 October.

What Happened in Crystal Palace’s Opening European Match?

Crystal Palace defeated Lech Poznań 4–0 on 17 September. The English club scored four goals and kept a clean sheet in its first fixture of the league phase.

The result was one of the most decisive victories of the opening round. Palace’s subsequent schedule included an away match against Lyon on 15 October, followed by a fixture against Beşiktaş on 22 October.

Lech Poznań’s next league-phase match was scheduled against Bayer Leverkusen on 15 October. The Polish side would then face Sunderland on 22 October.

How Did Beşiktaş and Union Saint-Gilloise Start?

Beşiktaş defeated Marseille 4–1 on 17 September. The Turkish club scored four goals, while Marseille managed one in response.

Union Saint-Gilloise also secured an away victory, beating Viktoria Plzeň 3–0. The Belgian club’s result gave it three points from its opening match without conceding a goal.

Marseille’s next fixture was scheduled against Olympiacos on 15 October, while Union Saint-Gilloise were due to meet Real Sociedad. Beşiktaş were scheduled to visit Hoffenheim, and Viktoria Plzeň were due to play Levski Sofia.

Which Other Results Defined the First Matchday?

The opening round included several closely contested matches, alongside the more decisive victories recorded by Juventus, Crystal Palace and Beşiktaş.

On 16 September, Olympiacos defeated Jagiellonia 2–1 after conceding the opening goal. Omonia beat Celta 1–0, while Sunderland secured a 1–0 victory against AZ Alkmaar.

Leverkusen beat Celje 2–0, and the meeting between Hapoel Beer-Sheva and GNK Dinamo ended 0–0. Sturm Graz and Rennes also shared the points after a goalless draw.

Sparta Praha’s 4–1 win over Ararat-Armenia completed the Wednesday programme alongside the results involving Milan, Benfica, Anderlecht and Lyon.

The following day, OFI Crete defeated Hoffenheim 2–0, while Salzburg beat Levski Sofia 1–0. Celtic lost 3–1 to Ferencváros, and Bournemouth won 2–1 away to Real Sociedad.

The result between Lillestrøm and Torreense was also notable because the Portuguese side secured a 2–1 away victory. UEFA identified Torreense and Bournemouth among the clubs making winning debuts in the competition.

Together, the results provided the opening set of outcomes for a league phase involving 36 clubs.

What Is the Format of the 2026–27 Europa League?

The 2026–27 Europa League uses a league-phase format in which 36 clubs compete in one overall standings table. Each team has eight opponents, with four matches at home and four away.

The league phase began on 16 September 2026 and is scheduled to conclude on 28 January 2027. UEFA’s published calendar lists eight matchdays, with fixtures spread across the autumn and winter.

Following the opening round, the second matchday was scheduled for 15 October. The remaining dates were 22 October, 5 November, 26 November and 10 December 2026, followed by 21 January and 28 January 2027.

Under the format, clubs accumulate points from their eight matches. The league standings determine which teams advance directly to the round of 16 and which must take part in the knockout phase play-offs. Teams finishing outside the qualifying positions are eliminated from the competition.

The format replaced the former group stage and gives clubs a broader range of opponents during the initial phase. It also means that teams do not play every opponent in the overall table.

UEFA published the fixtures and results by date and by team, allowing supporters to follow each club’s schedule through the end of January.

What Fixtures Were Scheduled for the Second Matchday?

The second matchday was scheduled for Thursday, 15 October 2026, with 18 fixtures on the programme.

Salzburg were due to host Milan, giving the Italian club an opportunity to respond to its opening defeat against Benfica. Lyon were scheduled to face Crystal Palace, while Benfica were due to host Celtic.

Other fixtures included GNK Dinamo against Anderlecht, Marseille against Olympiacos, Celta against Juventus and Hoffenheim against Beşiktaş.

Bayer Leverkusen were scheduled to visit Lech Poznań, while Sunderland were due to travel to Torreense. Bournemouth were set to host Sturm Graz, and Union Saint-Gilloise were scheduled to meet Real Sociedad.

The programme also included Sparta Praha against Lillestrøm, AZ Alkmaar against Hapoel Beer-Sheva, Celje against Omonia, Ferencváros against Viktoria Plzeň, Jagiellonia against Ararat-Armenia, N.E.C. Nijmegen against Levski Sofia and Rennes against OFI Crete.

UEFA listed kick-off times of 18:45 Central European Time for selected matches, with most fixtures scheduled for 21:00 CET.

The second round would give the clubs their next opportunity to add points to their league-phase totals before the third matchday on 22 October.

Background: How the Europa League League Phase Works

The UEFA Europa League is Europe’s second-tier men’s club football competition, organised by the Union of European Football Associations. The 2026–27 edition features 36 clubs in the league phase.

The competition’s revised format replaced the traditional groups with a single league table. Each club plays eight matches against eight different opponents, rather than meeting the same three teams twice.

The league phase is followed by the knockout rounds, with qualification determined by the final standings. The competition calendar extends from September 2026 into 2027, with the league phase ending in January.

UEFA’s official fixture list confirms that the opening round took place on 16 and 17 September 2026. The first matchday included 18 matches, with clubs from several domestic leagues competing across the two dates.

The opening results included wins for Benfica, Lyon, Juventus, Crystal Palace, Beşiktaş, Sparta Praha, Bournemouth and Torreense, alongside victories for other participating clubs.

Prediction: What Comes Next in the Europa League?

The confirmed fixture schedule provides the next set of matches for all 36 clubs. Results on 15 October will add to the standings established during the opening round.

Milan are scheduled to face Salzburg after losing to Benfica, while Lyon are due to meet Crystal Palace after defeating Anderlecht. Benfica will host Celtic, and Juventus will travel to Celta.

The league phase will continue through January 2027, with each club scheduled to complete eight matches. Final positions in the standings will determine which teams advance directly to the round of 16, which enter the knockout phase play-offs and which are eliminated.