After missing out on back-to-back Champions League titles on goal difference, Aston Villa are in the Europa League for the first time since the competition was renamed from the UEFA Cup in 2009.
The Villans never progressed to the quarter-finals but did reach the knockout stage in 2008/09, losing to CSKA Moscow in the last 32.
Having suffered a crushing defeat to eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals last season, the Premier League side began the 2025/26 Europa League as favorites to lift the trophy.
Check out Aston Villa fixtures, results and 2025/26 Europa League squad and schedule.
Aston Villa Europa League fixtures, 2025/26 results
Here’s how Villa’s fixtures and results look. They will play Bologna in the quarter-finals (both legs 20:00 BST) and Nottingham Forest or Porto in a potential semi-final.
| The day | They don’t oppose | The stage | The result |
| April 16, 2026 | Bologna (A) | The second leg of the quarter-final | |
| April 9, 2026 | Bologna (H) | Quarter-final first leg | |
| March 19, 2026 | Lille (H) | Round of 16 is the second leg | W 2-0 |
| March 12, 2026 | Lille (A) | Round 16 is the first leg | W 1-0 |
| Jan 29, 2026 | Salzburg (H) | Division of the league | W 3–2 |
| Jan 22, 2026 | Fenerbahce (A) | Division of the league | W 3–0 |
| December 11, 2025 | Basel (A) | Division of the league | W 2–1 |
| November 27, 2025 | Little Boys (H) | Division of the league | W 2–1 |
| November 6, 2025 | Maccabi Tel Aviv (H) | Division of the league | W 2–0 |
| October 23, 2025 | Go Ahead Eagles (A) | Division of the league | L 1–2 |
| October 2, 2025 | Feyenoord (A) | Division of the league | W 2–0 |
| September 25, 2025 | Bologna (H) | Division of the league | W 1–0 |
You can see the full Europa League bracket here.
Aston Villa Europa League Squad 2025/26
This was Villa’s List A Europa League team registered in the round of 16 in February 2026.
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeepers | Emiliano Martinez, Marco Bizot |
| The protectors | Matty Cash, Victor Lindelof, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne, Pau Torres, Andres Garcia, Ian Maatsen |
| Midfielders | John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, Jadon Sancho, Amadou Onana, Douglas Luiz, Harvey Elliott, Morgan Rogers |
| Forward | Emiliano Buendia, Ollie Watkins, Tammy Abraham, Leon Bailey |
List B submissions, which include players born after January 1, 2004 who are eligible to play for the club for an uninterrupted period of two years from their 15th birthday, can also be made until midnight before each game.
The likes of Lamare Bogarde and James Wright are on that list.
Aston Villa Europa League Schedule 2025/26
In a change from the previous group stage which ran until 2023/24, each team now plays eight games in the league stage, all against different opponents.
The top eight teams on the list automatically advance to the round of 16. Teams finishing ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged qualifier to reach the Last 16.
Teams that finished 25th or lower were out of Europe this season.
| The stage | Days |
| Round 16 | March 12 & 19 |
| Quarter-final | April 9 & 16 |
| Semi-finalist | April 30 and May 7 |
| Finally | May 20 2026 |
Which English clubs are in the Europa League 2025/26?
Villa finished sixth in 2024/25, although they would have been in the Champions League had they not lost to Manchester United on the final day.
Nottingham Forest’s participation comes after they were promoted from the Conference League thanks to UEFA’s decision against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace, which was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
When is the Europa League final?
The final will be held on May 20 2026 at Besiktas Stadium, home of 16-time Turkish champions Besiktas.
The stadium hosted a spectacular 2019 Super Cup final, with Chelsea and Liverpool going one goal apiece in normal time and extra time before the Reds won on penalties following a 2-2 draw.
How to watch Aston Villa in the Europa League: TV channel, streaming
TNT Sports has the live streaming rights to the Europa League in the UK.
TNT Sports costs £30.99 a month, which includes Eurosport and entertainment and is available on a range of devices including smart TVs and games consoles. Beginning March 26, TNT Sports coverage will switch from Discovery Plus to HBO Max.
How to stream Aston Villa Champions League matches online
The broadcaster’s dedicated apps that allow fans to stream games live, Discovery Plus, are switching to HBO Max from March 26.
The app is available on a variety of devices including smart TVs and gaming consoles.
