As both the Europa League and Conference League pass the halfway mark in the league phase, SportNews takes a look at how the race for the knockout stages is shaping up.
Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest are primed to reach the next stage of their respective competitions, while others like Crystal Palace and Celtic still have plenty of work to do.
Rangers on the other hand have all but been condemned to elimination.
Here's how it all stands right now...
The top eight sides at the end of each league phase qualify automatically for the last 16.
The next 16 sides, ranked ninth to 24th, go into a two-legged play-off against each other to make the knockout rounds.
The bottom 12 teams from 25 to 36 will be eliminated. Teams that are eliminated from the Europa League will not have access to the Conference League as a result of their exit in the league phase.
Aston Villa are primed to secure a spot in the next round with 12 points from their opening five games, leaving Unai Emery's side in third place.
Villa face RB Salzburg, Fenerbahce and Basel in their remaining fixtures.
Nottingham Forest sit in 16th, two points below the top eight after recording two wins, two draws and one defeat.
The loss arrived against top of the table Midtjylland, during Ange Postecoglou's dismal reign at the City Ground, while the two victories came under Sean Dyche against Porto and Malmo.
Forest's remaining games consist of Ferencvaros, Braga and Utrecht.
Celtic's 3-1 win over Feyenoord saw them claw their way into the top 24, currently lying in 21st place with three to play.
Rangers meanwhile sit 33rd having picked up just one point in their opening five contests.
Opta's predicted table has Villa finishing at the top of the table and Forest securing a play-off spot in 14th. Both Celtic and Rangers miss out, with the latter predicted to end the league phase in 34th.
Last year, in the first edition of this new format, you needed 14 points to make the top eight and 10 to make the top 24, depending on goal difference.
Aston Villa: RB Salzburg (H), Fenerbahce (A), Basel (A),
Nottingham Forest: Ferencvaros (H), Braga (A), Utrecht (A).
Rangers: Porto (A), Ferencvaros (A), Ludogorets (H).
Celtic: Roma (H), Utrecht (H), Bologna (A).
Matchday 5: 27 November 2025
Matchday 6: 11 December 2025
Matchday 7: 22 January 2026
Matchday 8: 29 January 2026
Knockout-phase play-offs: 19 & 26 February 2026
Round of 16: 12 & 19 March 2026
Quarter-finals: 9 & 16 April 2026
Semi-finals: 30 April & 7 May 2026
Final: 20 May 2026 (Istanbul)
Crystal Palace have six points from four games in the Conference League, sitting in 18th but just two points off of a spot in the top eight.
Palace face Sehlbourne and KuPS in their three remaining fixtures.
Turkish side Samsunspor sit at the top of the table with 10 points, above Strasbourg only on goal difference.
Celje, Shakhtar Donetsk, Mainz, Rakow Czestochowa, AEK Larnaca and FC Drita are the other teams making up the top eight.
More points were needed in the Conference League than the Europa League to break into the top eight last season. Cercle Brugge finished on 11 points to finish eighth, while TSC Backa Topola secured 24th with seven points.
Opta have predicted Palace will secure automatic qualification for the knockouts, finishing in fourth place on 14 points.
Crystal Palace: Shelbourne (A), KuPS (H).
Matchday 4: 27 November 2025
Matchday 5: 11 December 2025
Matchday 6: 18 December 2025
Knockout-phase play-offs: 19 & 26 February 2026
Round of 16: 12 & 19 March 2026
Quarter-finals: 9 & 16 April 2026
Semi-finals: 30 April & 7 May 2026
Final: 27 May 2026 (Leipzig)
SportNews will be the exclusive UK broadcaster of the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League from the 2027/28 season.
All 342 matches across both competitions will be available on SportNews for four years from the summer of 2027.
Thanks to SportNews' extensive coverage of the Premier League, EFL, WSL, Scottish Premiership and more, that means SportNews viewers will frequently be able to watch football seven nights a week.
