Having missed out on Champions League qualification during the last day of the previous season, Nottingham Forest is now competing in the Europa League for the first time since 1995/95, a period when the tournament was identified as the UEFA Cup.
The Premier League team had two prior participations in the UEFA Cup; they were eliminated in the initial round during the 1984/85 season and fell to Anderlecht in the semi-finals in 1983/84.
Discover Nottingham Forest’s match schedule, outcomes, and team roster for the 2025/26 Europa League, and review the overall timetable.
Nottingham Forest Europa League Match Schedule, Outcomes 2025/26
Forest concluded the league stage in 13th place and were drawn against Fenerbahce in a two-legged knockout stage play-off match, securing a convincing first-leg triumph in Vitor Pereira’s inaugural game at the helm.
- February 19: Fenerbahce 0-3 Forest
- February 26: Forest vs Fenerbahce
Forest’s rivals in the league segment comprised the reigning Austrian champions Sturm Graz, Swedish title holders Malmo, and their Hungarian counterparts Ferencvaros.
Midtjylland secured the runner-up position in Denmark, while Porto, who clinched the Europa League championship in 2002/03 and 2010/11, finished third in Portugal, one spot ahead of Braga, a team they defeated in the latter final.
Utrecht finished fourth in the Dutch Eredivisie and is returning to the main competition for the first time since 2010/11, when they played to a 0-0 draw in both their games against Liverpool and held Napoli to draws twice during the group phase.
Wednesday, September 24: Betis 2-2 Forest
Thursday, October 2: Forest 2-3 Midtjylland
Thursday, October 23: Forest 2-0 Porto
Thursday, November 6: Sturm Graz 0-0 Forest
Thursday, November 27: Forest 3-0 Malmo
Thursday, December 11: Utrecht 1-2 Forest
Thursday, January 22, 2026: Braga 1-0 Forest
Thursday, January 29: Forest 4-0 Ferencvaros
Nottingham Forest Europa League Team Roster 2025/26
Forest’s List A Europa League team roster has been officially recorded until the round of 16 in February 2026, at which point clubs have the option to add a maximum of three fresh players, while adhering to the existing limit of 25.
Goalkeepers: Matz Sels, John Victor
Defenders: Oleksandr Zinchenko, Neco Williams, Willy Boly, Nikola Milenkovic, Morato, Murillo, Nicolo Savona
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Nicolas Dominguez, Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ibrahim Sangare, Ryan Yates
Forwards: Dilane Bakwa, Igor Jesus, Arnaud Kalimuendo, Douglas Luiz, James McAtee, Dan Ndoye, Chris Wood
List B submissions, comprising players born after January 1, 2004, who have been eligible to represent the club for a continuous two-year period since their 15th birthday, can also be made up until midnight preceding each match.
Nottingham Forest Europa League Timetable 2025/26
In a departure from the previous group stage structure that was in place until 2023/24, each team now participates in eight matches during the league phase, with all encounters being against distinct opponents.
The top eight teams in the standings automatically progress to the round of 16. Teams positioned from ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout phase play-off to secure their place in the last 16.
Teams finishing 25th or lower are eliminated from European competition for the season.
Knockout phase play-offs: February 17/18 & 24/25 2026
Round of 16: March 10/11 & 17/18 2026
Quarter-finals: April 7/8 & 14/15 2026
Semi-finals: April 28/29 and May 5/6 2026
Final: May 30 2026
When are the Europa League Draws?
Knockout phase play-offs: January 30 2026
Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and final: February 27 2026
Which English Clubs are in the Europa League 2025/26?
Forest’s involvement comes after they were elevated from the Conference League due to a UEFA decision against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace, a ruling that was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Aston Villa secured qualification by finishing sixth in 2024/25, although they would have been in the Champions League had they not suffered a defeat at Manchester United on the final day.
When is the Europa League Championship Match?
The championship game is scheduled for May 20, 2025, at the Besiktas Stadium, home of the 16-time Turkish champions Besiktas.
The stadium hosted a dramatic 2019 Super Cup final, with Chelsea and Liverpool each scoring once during regular and extra time before the Reds emerged victorious on penalties following the 2-2 draw.
How to Follow Forest in the Europa League: Television Channel, Live Stream
TNT Sports holds the exclusive live broadcast rights for the Europa League in the UK.
TNT Sports is available for £29.99 per month via discovery+, which also encompasses Eurosport and entertainment programming.
How to Stream Forest Europa League Matches Online
The discovery+ app from TNT Sports enables supporters to live-stream matches on a wide array of devices, including smart TVs and gaming consoles.