BJK face tough Europa League draw, Trabzonspor drop to Conference

Beşiktaş will face a demanding mix of Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Premier League opposition in the Europa League, while Trabzonspor will begin its Conference League campaign against clubs from six different countries after the league-phase draws were held Friday in Monaco.

The draws at the Grimaldi Forum set the European schedules for the two Turkish clubs, with Beşiktaş remaining in UEFA’s second-tier competition and Trabzonspor dropping into the Conference League after its Europa League playoff exit.

Beşiktaş, drawn from Pot 4, was paired with Bayer Leverkusen of Germany, Olympique Marseille of France, Union Saint-Gilloise of Belgium, Celtic of Scotland, Crystal Palace of England, Omonia of Cyprus, Hapoel Be’er Sheva of Israel and Hoffenheim of Germany.

The Black Eagles will host Marseille, Union Saint-Gilloise, Crystal Palace and Hapoel Be’er Sheva at Tüpraş Stadium in Istanbul.

Their four away matches will be against Leverkusen, Celtic, Omonia and Hoffenheim.

The draw gives Beşiktaş several high-profile encounters, particularly against Leverkusen, Marseille and Crystal Palace, while Celtic and Union Saint-Gilloise add further European experience to a challenging schedule.

Beşiktaş reached the league phase after navigating three qualifying rounds, including an aggregate victory over Kauno Zalgiris in the playoff round.

Beşiktaş players salute their supporters after the UEFA Europa League playoff second leg against Kauno Zalgiris at Dariaus ir Girėno Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania, Aug. 27, 2026. (AA Photo)

The Europa League league phase features 36 teams, with each club playing eight matches against eight different opponents, four at home and four away. Teams face two opponents from each seeding pot, while clubs from the same national association cannot meet during the league phase.

The opening matchday is scheduled for Sept. 16-17, with the league phase concluding Jan. 28, 2027.

The top eight teams in the standings will advance directly to the round of 16. Teams finishing ninth through 24th will enter two-legged knockout playoffs, while those finishing 25th through 36th will be eliminated from European competition.

The knockout stage will then continue with two-legged ties until the final, which is scheduled for May 26, 2027, at Waldstadion in Frankfurt, Germany.

Trabzonspor drop into Conference League

Trabzonspor will face German club Freiburg, Serbian powerhouse Red Star Belgrade, Finland’s KuPS, Scottish side Heart of Midlothian, Czech club Jablonec and CSKA Sofia of Bulgaria in the Conference League league phase.

Former Beşiktaş player Metin Tekin took part in conducting the draw at the Grimaldi Forum.

Trabzonspor will host Freiburg, Hearts and Jablonec at Şenol Güneş Sports Complex, while its away matches will be against Red Star Belgrade, KuPS and CSKA Sofia.

The draw gives the Turkish club a varied schedule featuring opponents from Germany, Serbia, Finland, Scotland, Czechia and Bulgaria.

Trabzonspor entered the Conference League after losing 5-0 on aggregate to Ferencvaros in the Europa League playoff round.

The Conference League league phase also consists of 36 teams, but each club plays six matches, three at home and three away.

The top eight teams will advance directly to the round of 16, while clubs finishing ninth through 24th will enter the knockout playoffs. The bottom 12 teams will be eliminated.

The Conference League final is scheduled for June 2, 2027, at Tüpraş Stadium in Istanbul, giving Beşiktaş’s home ground another major European occasion.

The venue is also known as Beşiktaş Park and previously hosted the 2026 Europa League final.

Both competitions use UEFA’s Swiss-style league phase, replacing the traditional group-stage format with a single 36-team table.

The system gives clubs a wider range of opponents while maintaining seeding protections during the draw.

The format also creates a heavier schedule, placing additional demands on squads as teams balance European matches with their domestic league and cup commitments.

DAILYSABAH