Europa League Predictions
UEFA Europa League Predictions - 2025/26 Europa League Qualifying Rounds
The UEFA Europa League returns in 2025/26, and you can bet on all the soccer during the tournament here at Stake Sportsbook. Qualifiers are also available to watch live with our free live streams. Find out more about the tournament and its qualifying rounds as you place bets on the Europa League on Stake.com.
What is the Europa League?
The UEFA Europa League is the 2nd tier of European club football. It’s an annual tournament organised by UEFA and features top soccer clubs from across Europe. The competition is ahead of the UEFA Conference League, but one level below the UEFA Champions League. Winners of the Europa League will play in the UEFA Super Cup and automatically qualify for the Champions League in the following season.
Teams enter the Europa League based on their performances in their domestic leagues and cups during the previous season. Depending on the UEFA coefficient of their league, teams can automatically qualify or enter the qualification process. For example, teams finishing 5th in the Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and La Liga automatically enter the league phase of the Europa League.
There are 3 qualification rounds, with a final play-off round. 12 teams enter the league phase from the play-off round, joining 13 teams that have automatically qualified, along with 11 teams that dropped out of the Champions League qualifiers.
36 teams take part in the league phase of the Europa League, with the top 8 teams automatically entering the knockout stages. Teams ranked from 9-24 enter a play-off round for a chance to make the last 16.
Europa League History & Past Winners
Between 1955 and 1971, the 2nd tier European soccer tournament was the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. However, this was replaced by the UEFA Cup from the 1971/72 season, which used different regulations and a different format.
The first UEFA Cup final was played between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, with Spurs lifting the trophy for the first time.
For the 2009/10 season, the UEFA Cup was merged with the 3rd-tier competition, the Intertoto Cup, and rebranded as the Europa League.
Originally, the Europa League featured a group stage before the knockout rounds, but the format was changed for the 2024/25 season. Now, the Europa League uses a league format, with each team playing 4 home games and 4 away games.
Since the competition began, 30 teams have lifted the Europa League trophy, including:
Sevilla - 7 titles
Inter Milan - 3 titles
Tottenham Hotspur - 3 titles
Liverpool - 3 titles
Juventus - 3 titles
Atletico Madrid - 3 titles
UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Schedule & Fixtures
Qualifying
10 July and 17 July - First qualifying round
24 July and 31 July - Second qualifying round
7 August and 14 August - Third qualifying round
21 August and 28 August - Play-offs
League Phase
29 August - League draw
24-25 September - Matchday 1
2 October - Matchday 2
23 October - Matchday 3
6 November - Matchday 4
27 November - Matchday 5
11 December - Matchday 6
22 January - Matchday 7
29 January - Matchday 8
Knockout Phase
30 January - Knockout stage play-off draw
19 February and 26 February - Knockout stage play-offs
27 February - Knockout round draw
12 March and 19 March - Round of 16
9 April and 16 April - Quarter-finals
30 April and 7 May - Semi-finals
20 May - Final
Europa League Predictions - Who Will Make It Through Qualifiers?
Genk
Genk finished 3rd in the Belgian Pro League last season, which means they entered the Europa League play-off round. They previously finished as quarter-finalists of the Europa League in the 2016-17 season, although last season they played in the Conference League.
Young Boys
Last season, Young Boys finished 3rd in the Swiss Super League, meaning they entered the Europa League play-off round. In the 1958/59 season, they reached the semi-final of the European Cup, but their best finish in the Europa League was reaching the round of 16 in 2020/21.
Aberdeen
Aberdeen won the 2024/25 Scottish Cup, which means they’ll enter the play-off round for a chance to qualify for this season’s Europa League. They’ve never progressed past the Europa League playoffs before, although they won the Cup Winners’ Cup and UEFA Super Cup in 1983.
Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar Donetsk will enter the first qualifying round of this season’s Europa League on account of winning the 2024/25 Ukrainian Cup. The club has previously won the UEFA Cup in 2009, the last year before it was rebranded as the Europa League.
Beşiktaş
Beşiktaş finished 4th in the Turkish Süper Lig, meaning they’ll enter this season’s first round of Europa League qualifying. In the 1986/27 season, the club reached the quarter finals of the European Cup, and in 2002/03 and 2016/17 seasons, reached the Europa League quarter-finals.
Europa League Betting Tips, Odds & Previews
When you’re betting on European football, you need to have a carefully thought-out sports betting strategy to help you execute things on matchday. Our pointers should stand you in good stead:
Pay attention to schedules - The Europa League happens during the regular soccer season, while teams are also playing domestic league games. It’s important to check the match calendar of each team, as some teams will end up with a very congested fixture list. Travel is also a major factor in Europa League away games, so consider this when looking at match previews.
Consider the importance of the competition - For some teams, the Europa League is a massive chance of a trophy and qualifying for the UCL is a big factor. However, other teams will be content to play second-string teams and focus on their domestic league.
Keep on top of the latest sports news - Through Stake’s dedicated blog, which offers predictions and tips. You can get all the insights and latest info from football experts so you can make more well-informed picks on any given matchday. You can also check out our guide on how to bet on soccer or our ultimate guide to sports betting to help get you started.
Types of Bets & How to Bet on the Europa League
The Europa League qualifying process provides ample betting opportunities. We have addressed the most common and popular markets that bettors can tap into:
Moneyline - In soccer betting, there are three possible outcomes: a win, a tie, or a loss. You simply back your predicted result, and it’s a great starting point for bettors. Find out more in our guide to moneyline betting.
Handicaps - Here, a value will be attached to a team to level out the playing field. This can make betting more interesting when one team is at a distinct disadvantage. Our handicap betting guide offers more details.
Total - This is a bet on the total number of goals scored in the match or half by both teams or either side. Simply pick over or under a specific goal tally. Find out more about over/under betting in our full guide. Don’t forget about Asian totals and handicap betting too.
Spread - Like handicaps, a goal spread will be set for a team to beat, such as +1, and if you bet on the underdog, the margin of defeat should be less than the spread to win. Read our spread betting guide for more information.
Outright - Rather than focus on a match event, this is like future betting, so you can wager on a team to qualify for or even win the Europa League, and you can get some juicy odds here. Get the latest details on outright betting and how it works in our guide.
Prop - This can be drilled down into team and individual lines, such as the first player to pick up a yellow card, a player to score 2+ goals, or even how many corners a team will receive in 90 minutes. Find out more about how to place prop bets in our prop betting guide.
Parlay - Here, several outcomes will be tagged onto one betting slip, but all picks need to come through to return a win. This can be framed in the same manner as a multi-bet builder. You can find out more about these bets in our parlay betting guide and same game multi-bet guide.
Live betting - While some may prefer placing their bets in advance of a game, in-play betting means you can wager on moneyline, over/under totals, and other lines. The odds will shift in real time.
Live Stream Europa League Football/Soccer Matches Online
For the Europa League qualifiers, the best way to watch the action is through Stake’s dedicated live stream. By signing up, you can get unfettered access to all the live soccer action, so you won’t miss a single tackle, goal, or red card. You can place live bets on the games as they happen, with pre-match and live betting markets available on all Europa League games.
Live streaming has been a game-changer, and at Stake, you will find that games will have a “Play” button that you can click on, and coverage will be uninterrupted.
Europa League Betting Odds, Payouts & Promotions
Stake.com is the best place for Europa League betting odds and promotions. You can get the latest odds on all European football competitions. Before you start betting, make sure you understand odds and how to calculate your potential payouts. This is really important when it comes to finding the best value and placing successful bets. Switch between decimal, fractional and American odds to use the one that’s easiest for you.
Aside from boasting a robust live stream, Stake serves up brilliant odds and a myriad of deposit and withdrawal methods, with various cryptocurrencies available too.via payment platforms like MoonPay and Swapped.com . If you need more information on supported MoonPay payment methods , you can check out our comprehensive local currency guide and use the Stake vault to keep your funds secure while you bet.
Soccer & Football Betting Tips, Predictions & Strategies
Check the stats - All of your betting predictions should be backed up with careful research and analysis of all available statistics and data. There are plenty of stats available on modern football matches, especially the Europa League. Use this data to gain a better understanding of matchups and make football predictions. Last Europa League season, an average of 2.86 goals were scored per match, while the home side won 50% of matches.
Take advantage of live betting odds - Live betting is an excellent way to maximise the value of your bets. As the match is in play, the football odds will be updated in real time based on events that occur, such as goals, corners, fouls and more. You can even watch the live stream and use the live stats to gain insights and make informed betting decisions.
Follow all the latest news - It’s also a good idea to stay up to date with important team news and information about the upcoming games. Make sure you check for news of injuries to key players, which can significantly affect the team’s chances during the game.
Stake VIP Club & Responsible Betting
When you join Stake, you’ll also be able to enjoy the benefits of sports betting promotions and the Stake VIP Club. You can earn rewards, including regular rakeback and reload bonuses, as well as your own VIP host. Check the VIP FAQ page for more information on the rewards you can earn and how to level up your account.
But for now, we suggest you consider our Stake Smart tips to get the most out of your betting experience with us. Set a reasonable budget and use tools such as deposit limits and time limits to stay in control as you enjoy betting on the Europa League. Remember, gamble responsibly to stay safe while online.
