Bayer Leverkusen has learned its opponents for the 2026/27 Europa League group stage. The draw on Friday at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco paired the German club with big names and set up an emotional return for a former player.
Managed by Xabi Alonso, the team that finished sixth in the 2025 Bundesliga with 59 points entered the competition as a top seed. The exact match schedule will be finalized by August 30. Matchday one is scheduled for September 16 and 17. The home opponents are Olympique Marseille from France, FC Salzburg from Austria, NK Celje from Slovenia, and Besiktas Istanbul from Turkey.
The match against Besiktas will draw particular attention. In the Turkish squad is Ernest Poku. The 22-year-old attacker returns to the BayArena, having transferred to Besiktas last summer. Another personal duel will involve Afonso Moreira. The 21-year-old summer signing for Leverkusen will face his former club Olympique Lyon, one of the away opponents, with his new team.
The other teams for the away fixtures are Dinamo Zagreb from Croatia, Lech Poznan from Poland, and OFI Crete from Greece. Dinamo Zagreb is described as the Croatian serial champion. Leverkusen's leadership expressed satisfaction with the draw.
CEO Fernando Carro (62) commented on the pairings. "Wir können uns auf eine attraktive Europa-League-Saison freuen. Marseille und Lyon sind große Namen des europäischen Fußballs," said Carro. Sporting director Simon Rolfes (44) emphasized the sporting challenge. "Wir haben sehr attraktive Gegner zugelost bekommen, große Namen sind dabei. Es ist eine sportlich herausfordernde Reise durch Europa," stated Rolfes.
The club's goal is clearly defined: they aim to finish among the top eight teams in the new league phase and thereby reach the knockout round of 16 in March. The club strives to play a very important role internationally this season. The draw marks the start of this journey, exactly 40 years after Leverkusen's first European Cup appearance.
Before the European journey begins, an important Bundesliga match awaits. Leverkusen travels for an away game against SV Elversberg on August 29. The team wants to start the international phase with a positive result. Last season, which saw 68 goals scored and 47 conceded, forms the foundation. The complete fixture planning for the coming months can be viewed on our fixtures page.
The Europa League offers a chance to compensate for the 30-point gap to Bayern Munich from the previous season and regain international prestige. Preparations for the demanding opponents are already underway. The current squad composition and player performance data can be tracked under squad and stats.
The diverse travel itinerary across Europe requires careful logistics and squad rotation. With teams that have shaped their national leagues and won numerous championships, a demanding mix awaits. The first two matchdays in September will set the direction. For the fans, planning for away trips to France, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, and Greece now begins.
The focus now is first on the Bundesliga match in Elversberg, before the European stage is entered from mid-September. The club aims to convert the positive goal difference of +21 from last season into consistent performance.
