UEFA Conference League 2025/26 Knockout Phase Takes Shape
A diverse field reaches the last 16
The knockout phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Conference League is set, with eight clubs booking direct passage to the round of 16 after strong league phase campaigns. The qualified teams represent a broad cross-section of European football, blending established names with emerging forces enjoying historic runs on the continental stage.
French side Strasbourg finished top of the league phase and reached the spring stage of a UEFA competition for the first time in nearly two decades. Spain’s Rayo Vallecano and Germany’s Mainz are both making their Conference League debuts and have impressed with their intensity and organisation. Polish champions Raków continued their rapid rise with a second-place finish, while Sparta Praha once again underlined their pedigree as one of Central Europe’s most consistent clubs.
Experience meets ambition
Greek giants AEK Athens and Ukrainian heavyweights Shakhtar Donetsk bring European pedigree to the knockout rounds, while AEK Larnaca return to familiar territory after previously reaching the last 16 in 2022/23. Completing the group are Mainz, Raków and Strasbourg, all aiming to push beyond previous continental ceilings.
Several of these clubs are chasing landmark achievements. Strasbourg and Mainz are contesting their first Conference League campaigns, while Rayo Vallecano are building on their limited but memorable European history. For Sparta Praha and Shakhtar, the goal will be to convert experience into a deep run.
Round of 16 teams confirmed
The eight clubs already through to the last 16 are:
- AEK Athens (Greece)
- AEK Larnaca (Cyprus)
- Mainz (Germany)
- Raków (Poland)
- Rayo Vallecano (Spain)
- Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)
- Sparta Praha (Czechia)
- Strasbourg (France)
With styles ranging from possession-heavy builds to high-intensity pressing, the round of 16 promises tactical variety and compelling matchups once the remaining eight teams emerge from the play-offs.
