Nottingham Forest and Celtic have discovered their opponents for the UEFA Europa League knockout phase play-offs, with both clubs chasing a place in the round of 16.
Celtic will face German Bundesliga side Stuttgart in a two-legged tie, according to the official Europa League draw released on Friday. The Scottish champions had also been in contention to meet Ferencváros, coached by former striker Robbie Keane, but were ultimately paired with Stuttgart.
The first leg will be played at Celtic Park, with the return fixture scheduled for Germany. The winner of the tie will progress to the last 16, where either Porto or Braga await. Porto famously defeated Celtic in the 2003 UEFA Cup final.
Celtic booked their place in the play-offs after a 4–2 victory over Utrecht, finishing 21st in the league-phase standings.
Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, will take on Turkish heavyweights Fenerbahçe. The Premier League side had been in the mix to face Panathinaikos, but the draw handed them a clash with the Istanbul-based club.
Forest finished 13th in the league phase following an emphatic 4–0 win over Ferencváros, earning them the advantage of hosting the second leg. If they advance, Forest will face either Midtjylland or Real Betis in the round of 16.
Play-Off Dates
The Europa League play-off ties will be played over two legs on 19 and 26 February, with the higher-ranked team hosting the second leg.
Other Play-Off Fixtures
- Ludogorets vs Ferencváros
- Panathinaikos vs Viktoria Plzen
- GNK Dinamo vs Genk
- PAOK vs Celta
- Celtic vs Stuttgart
- Fenerbahçe vs Nottingham Forest
- SK Brann vs Bologna
- Lille vs Red Star Belgrade
The following clubs qualified directly for the round of 16 after finishing in the top eight of the league phase: Lyon, Aston Villa, Midtjylland, Real Betis, Porto, Braga, Freiburg and Roma.
The 2026 UEFA Europa League final will be held on 20 May at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul, Turkey.
