The UEFA Europa League’s UK broadcast rights sit with TNT Sports through to the 2026-27 season. Every match airs across TNT Sports’ channels and Discovery+. The competition shifted to a 36-team league-phase format from 2024-25, mirroring the Champions League restructure.
The Europa League is UEFA’s second-tier club competition. The 2025-26 entry list includes Premier League finishers (5th in the 2024-25 EPL season qualified directly), Champions League dropouts ranked 25-30 in the league phase, and domestic cup winners from across the continent.
Where Europa League matches air
TNT Sports holds exclusive UK rights. Matches air on Thursday evenings across the league phase and the knockout rounds. TNT Sports 1, 2, and 3 carry concurrent matches; Discovery+ Premium streams every match including the lower-priority fixtures not on linear TV.
The final airs on TNT Sports. Recent finals have not been simulcast free-to-air in the UK; ITV held the free-to-air rights briefly under a sublicensing arrangement but that arrangement ended.
League-phase format
Thirty-six clubs play eight matches each, against eight different opponents, four at home and four away. The matchweeks run from September to January on Thursday evenings.
Top eight clubs qualify directly for the round of 16. Clubs ranked 9 to 24 enter a knockout play-off in February. Clubs ranked 25 to 36 are eliminated, with no parachute drop into the Conference League.
The knockout rounds run on Thursday evenings from March to May. The final is a single match in late May at a designated venue.
English clubs in the 2025-26 Europa League
Premier League finishers from 2024-25 in the qualifying spots typically include Aston Villa, Tottenham, and Newcastle depending on Champions League access via the European cooperation rule.
Manchester United, dropped from Champions League contention after their 2024-25 season, played in the Europa League most recently in 2024-25 and reached the round of 16.
TNT Sports access for UK viewers
The same access routes as Champions League apply: Discovery+ Premium at £30.99 a month, BT/EE broadband at £18 a month with an active broadband contract, or Sky add-on at £18-£25 a month.
A TNT Sports subscription covers Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. Buying separately for Europa League alone is not possible.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Europa League final air? TNT Sports linear channels and Discovery+. The 2025 final aired on TNT Sports 1 with Discovery+ streaming.
How many UK clubs play in the Europa League? Typically two to three Premier League clubs, plus FA Cup and EFL Cup winners if they finish outside European qualification through league position.
Is the Europa League free to watch anywhere in the UK? No. There is no free-to-air partner for 2025-26. Highlights packages run on Channel 5.
What is the difference between Europa League and Conference League? Europa League is the second tier; Conference League is the third tier. Europa League winners qualify for the next season’s Champions League; Conference League winners qualify for the next season’s Europa League.
For the parent competition, see our Champions League guide. The TNT Sports broadcaster page covers full subscription routes: TNT Sports.