The Europa League is back with the start of the league phase this week as 36 teams battle for European success. Aston Villa secured the trophy last season, but with qualification for the Champions League coming alongside that silverware, each season brings a new winner.
We’ve looked at the five favourites to win the 2026/27 Europa League.
5. Benfica – 10/1
Can Benfica end their European curse this season? The two-time European champions have endured a nightmare record in UEFA finals since winning the second of successive European Cups in the 1960s. Benfica have lost eight consecutive UEFA club competition finals since, including Europa League decider defeats in 1983, 2013, and 2014.
The Portuguese side have started the season well under new head coach Marco Silva, and claimed an impressive 2-0 win at AC Milan on matchday one.
4. Bournemouth – 10/1
Bournemouth will be keen to follow Aston Villa’s example from last season as Premier League teams dominate Europe’s second and third-tier competitions. There has been an English winner in each of the last two seasons in Tottenham (2025) and Aston Villa (2026), alongside Europa Conference League wins for Chelsea (2025) and Crystal Palace (2026). The Premier League’s massive financial wealth has helped England’s teams become dominant on this stage.
3. AC Milan – 9/1
The seven-time European champions find themselves in the Europa League after a dramatic decline across last season’s Serie A run-in. A fallen giant, Milan are rebuilding under Ruben Amorim this season. An unbeaten Serie A start after four games offers encouragement, but defeat to Benfica in their Europa League opener shows there is work to be done. Milan have never previously won this competition, despite seven Champions League crowns.
2. Bayer Leverkusen – 8/1
Bayer Leverkusen will be out to avenge their defeat in the 2024 final. The German side set a new European record for games unbeaten across all competitions (51) since the invention of UEFA competition, but saw that run shattered by a 3-0 final loss to Atalanta.
Much has changed at Leverkusen since, but there’s enough talent in Carles Martínez Novell’s squad to make an impact in this season’s tournament.
1. Juventus – 7/1
Only Sevilla have won the UEFA Cup or Europa League on more occasions than Juventus, though the Bianconeri have not tasted success in this competition since 1993. It’s been 30 years since a European trophy of any kind for one of the continent’s traditional giants, a drought Juve will hope to end in 2027.
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