Europa League 2026/2027 League Phase Outright Predictions

The Europa League takes over the European football spotlight after the Champions League. Europe's second-tier club competition is packed with big names this year, with Juventus, Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, Marseille and Benfica all competing in the league phase. But are they really the favourites they appear to be? Let's take a closer look.

In this article, we have brought together the odds on the Europa League league-phase winner and teams reaching the knockout stage, along with several outright betting tips.

Europa League 2026/2027 League Phase Odds

Scores24 Outright Tips for the Europa League 2026/2027 League Phase

Juventus to Finish in the Top Eight – Yes

Odds: 1.60

Juventus are rated alongside Bayer Leverkusen as the leading favourites to win both the competition overall and the league phase. Their quality alone should be enough to collect 16–19 points, which would secure a top-eight finish.

Luciano Spalletti will also have an incentive to ease the fixture load over the winter and spring. Juventus will be competing for the Serie A title, so extra matches are the last thing they need. Our editorial team believes the Turin club will look to secure a direct place in the round of 16 at the first opportunity.

Olympiacos to Finish in the Top Eight – Yes

Odds: 7.00

This is a much riskier option, but an intriguing one. Here is why we think the Greek side deserve at least to be considered among the contenders for the top eight. Olympiacos are regulars in European competition. Last season, they finished 18th in the Champions League league phase, just one point short of the top 16. The season before that, they won the Conference League.

Mendilibar was dismissed after failing to qualify for the Champions League, but a replacement was found quickly. Imanol Alguacil built a very strong Real Sociedad side, and we think he could spring a surprise here too.

Finally, the fixtures have been kind to the Greek club. At the Karaiskakis Stadium, the Piraeus side can beat anyone, even Milan. Of their away trips, only Marseille and Rennes look particularly awkward. We should not overlook the two favourable trips to Celje and Torreense, either.

Besiktas to Finish in the Top Eight – No

Odds: 1.40

There is just one reason for this pick, but it is a compelling one: a punishing fixture list. The Football Ranked analytical model rates Besiktas as having the toughest schedule in the league phase. Its projections put the Turkish side on 10–11 points, which would not be enough for a top-eight finish.

Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Omonia are their only relatively straightforward opponents. The Istanbul side also face trips to Celtic and Bayer Leverkusen, plus home games against Marseille and Crystal Palace. With fixtures like those, avoiding the knockout phase play-offs will be difficult, despite some more than decent summer recruitment for their European campaign.

Bournemouth to Finish in the Top Eight – No

Odds: 1.80

Another relatively risky option. Here is why:

Bournemouth simply have no European experience to draw on. This is the first international campaign in the club's history. Being a Premier League team automatically brings high expectations, but whether the Cherries can cope with that pressure is a major question.

The schedule matters too. Alongside the usual congested English calendar of Premier League and League Cup matches, Bournemouth have a difficult Europa League campaign ahead. Real Sociedad, Celta Vigo and Milan will be tough opponents. A trip to Norway to face Lillestrom is hardly a gift either, as the example of Bodo/Glimt reminds us. They could drop plenty of points. They will almost certainly reach the knockout stage, but a top-eight finish looks doubtful.

Benfica to Win the League Phase – Yes

Odds: 15.00

Juventus and Milan stand out by name, although none of the biggest clubs have finished first in the short history of the league phase so far. In 2025, Lazio took top spot ahead of Manchester United, Tottenham and Roma. In 2026, Lyon finished first despite a field that included Aston Villa, Porto and Roma again.

The biggest clubs are currently placing too much emphasis on their domestic leagues. Unlike the bookmakers, Opta backs Benfica, giving them a 13.9% chance of winning the league phase and a 14.1% chance of winning the competition. By comparison, the bookmakers put the probability of those two outcomes at 7.1% and 6.3%, respectively.

Here are Scores24's main arguments for the Portuguese side finishing first in the league phase. The Eagles have made a strong start to the season. Even if they maintain that pace for just the first two or three matches, their odds could shorten sharply well before the halfway point. The opposition looks daunting only at the start, with Milan and Celtic, before becoming considerably easier.

European competition is a major motivation for Benfica head coach Marco Silva, who spent years at Fulham without any real prospects. Now he has a chance to prove himself beyond the domestic league. Benfica have also managed to keep their squad together while strengthening specifically for Europe with Duran, Kaminski and Palhinha.

You can follow match results, the latest data and odds in the UEFA Europa League section of our website.