Shocking Europa League Upset: Underdog Sends European Giant Crashing Out in Last-Minute Thriller

The 2025-26 UEFA Europa League kicks off today with a packed Matchday 1 that ushers in the competition’s brand-new “league phase” format. Sixteen matches are spread across Europe this evening, giving fans a first look at the 36-team single-table system that replaces the old group stage — and every point already feels priceless as clubs chase a top-eight finish that guarantees passage to the round of 16. Headline fixtures • Dinamo Zagreb v Fenerbahçe – Maksimir Stadium, 18:45 CET • Braga v Feyenoord – Estádio Municipal de Braga, 21:00 CET • Nice v AS Roma – Allianz Riviera, 21:00 CET • Real Betis v Nottingham Forest – Estadio La Cartuja, 21:00 CET • Midtjylland v Sturm Graz and PAOK v Maccabi Tel-Aviv get the action under way in the early TV window. Live score hubs list all kick-off times and odds, with Paramount+ serving as the U.S. broadcaster. What’s new in 2025-26? • One 36-team table: every side plays eight different opponents (four home, four away). • Top 8 march straight to the round of 16; teams ranked 9-24 enter a two-leg play-off, while 25-36 are eliminated. • No more “dropping down” from the Champions League, intensifying the fight for continental silverware. Storylines to watch Aston Villa, fresh from their best Premier League finish in decades, open tomorrow against Fenerbahçe in Birmingham, but tonight’s focus is on Roma’s trip to the Côte d’Azur. Daniele De Rossi’s men are early tournament favourites after summer signings João Neves and Nico Williams added pace to a side that lifted the Coppa Italia in May. Feyenoord, Europa Conference League winners two seasons ago, travel to Portugal looking to upset a resurgent Braga led by 20-year-old prodigy Rodrigo Gomes. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest’s long-awaited return to European play pits them against Manuel Pellegrini’s free-scoring Real Betis, and Celtic’s visit to Red Star in Belgrade promises one of the noisiest atmospheres of the night. How to watch In the U.S., every match streams on Paramount+ with select games simulcast on CBS Sports Network. UK viewers can follow via TNT Sports, while DAZN, Movistar+, Canal+, and RTL hold rights across Europe. Fans worldwide can also track real-time statistics on the official UEFA Match Centre. Why tonight matters With only eight games to secure a top-24 spot, early slip-ups could be fatal. A win is worth three points as always, but goal difference is the primary tiebreaker, so expect attacking intent from kick-off. The road to the 2026 Bilbao final starts now; for clubs dreaming of lifting silverware – and a guaranteed Champions League ticket – Matchday 1 is anything but a warm-up.