crystal palace faces crucial conference league crossroads after friday's draw
Nyon, vrijdag, 27 februari 2026.
The uefa conference league round of 16 draw took place on 27 february 2026, mapping the full knockout path to the final in leipzig. crystal palace learned their fate after progressing through the play-offs with a 3-1 aggregate win. they will face either mainz or aek larnaca in the first knockout stage. the bracket reveals potential future clashes with fiorentina, strasbourg or raków czestochowa in the quarters. az alkmaar represents the netherlands in the competition, adding regional interest despite no dutch team in the finals recently. european football excitement builds as march fixtures approach.
palace awaits opponent after draw determines path
Crystal Palace will face either Mainz or AEK Larnaca in the UEFA Conference League round of 16. The draw took place on 27 February 2026 in Nyon, Switzerland, determining the full knockout pathway to the final in Leipzig [1]. Palace advanced after a 3-1 aggregate win over HSK Zrinjski Mostar in the play-offs [2]. Matches are scheduled for 12 and 19 March 2026, with the first leg at Selhurst Park [2]. Fixture timing will be confirmed following the draw [2].
potential routes open for english challengers
If Crystal Palace progress, they could face Fiorentina, Strasbourg or Raków Czestochowa in the quarter-finals [2]. The tournament features pre-set brackets, allowing teams to anticipate possible future opponents [1]. Clubs finishing positions nine to twenty-four in the league phase entered via the play-offs [3]. Eight teams progressed, joining the top eight from the league phase [3]. This includes Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, who defeated Noah 4-1 on aggregate [4].
dutch presence adds regional intrigue
AZ Alkmaar represents the Netherlands in the 2025/26 UEFA Conference League knockout phase [4]. Their advancement marks continued Dutch participation in European competitions despite no Eredivisie team reaching the final [4]. AZ Alkmaar previously reached the semi-finals in 2022/23 [4]. The club earned a UEFA coefficient ranking of 41 ahead of this campaign [4]. They will face either AEK Athens or Slovenian side Celje in the round of 16 [1].
fixture timeline sets stage for spring climax
Round of 16 ties are scheduled for 12/13 and 19/20 March 2026 [3]. Quarter-finals follow on 9/10 and 16/17 April [3]. Semi-finals occur on 30 April/1 May and 7/8 May [3]. The final will be hosted at Red Bull Arena in Leipzig on 27 May 2026 [2]. All draws were conducted at UEFA headquarters in Nyon [1]. Live streaming was available via UEFA.com, UEFA.tv and the official UEFA app [2].