Brighton & Hove Albion will welcome Monaco to the Amex and make European trips to Greece, Spain and the Czech Republic after discovering their opponents in the 2026/27 UEFA Conference League.
Albion have been handed six opponents for the league phase, with Monaco, Universitatea Craiova and Kauno Žalgiris coming to Brighton.
The Seagulls qualified by beating Tromsø in the play-off round, completing the job with a 4-0 victory at the American Express Stadium on 27 August.
Brighton will travel to Panathinaikos in Athens, Getafe in Spain and Jablonec in the Czech Republic as European football returns to Sussex for only the second campaign in the club’s history. Fans will be quietly hoping coach Fabian Hurzeler can lead the club to their first modern major trophy win (not counting the FA Charity Shield in 1910 and multiple Sussex Senior Cup wins).
For supporters who followed Albion to Amsterdam, Marseille, Athens and Rome in 2023/24, the new draw opens another set of European destinations and three more Thursday nights at the Amex.
| Competition | 2026/27 UEFA Conference League |
| Home opponents | Kauno Žalgiris, Universitatea Craiova and Monaco |
| Away opponents | Jablonec, Getafe and Panathinaikos |
| First match | Brighton v Kauno Žalgiris, Thursday 15 October, 8pm |
| Final league-phase match | Panathinaikos v Brighton, Thursday 17 December, 8pm UK time |
| Format | Six matches against six different opponents, three home and three away |
| Direct qualification | Top eight advance straight to the round of 16 |
| Knockout play-offs | Teams finishing ninth to 24th |
| Final | Beşiktaş Park, Istanbul, Wednesday 2 June 2027 |
| Home loyalty points | Kauno Žalgiris 15; Universitatea Craiova 20; Monaco 10 |
Brighton’s Conference League fixtures and kick-off times
| Date | Fixture | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 15 October 2026 | Brighton v Kauno Žalgiris | 8pm |
| Thursday 22 October 2026 | Jablonec v Brighton | 5.45pm UK |
| Thursday 5 November 2026 | Getafe v Brighton | 8pm UK |
| Thursday 26 November 2026 | Brighton v Universitatea Craiova | 5.45pm |
| Thursday 10 December 2026 | Brighton v Monaco | 8pm |
| Thursday 17 December 2026 | Panathinaikos v Brighton | 8pm UK |
UEFA has now confirmed the order and kick-off times for all six matches.
Albion begin at home to Lithuania’s Kauno Žalgiris on 15 October before travelling to Jablonec a week later. Getafe follow on 5 November, with Universitatea Craiova visiting Brighton later that month.
Monaco come to the Amex on 10 December before the league phase ends with a trip to Athens to face Panathinaikos on 17 December.
Brighton draw Monaco in European return
The standout home fixture for many Albion supporters will be the visit of Monaco.
The Ligue 1 club were among the six teams in Pot 1 alongside Atalanta, Braga, Ajax, Freiburg and Copenhagen, while Brighton themselves were placed in Pot 2.
UEFA’s draw paired every club with one opponent from each of the six seeding pots, producing three home matches and three away fixtures.
Unlike the Europa League, where clubs play eight league-phase matches, the Conference League gives each side six different opponents.
That gives Brighton a shorter route through the league phase, but with only six matches there is also less room to recover from dropped points.
Another European adventure for Brighton
The draw opens another chapter in a European story which began only three years ago under Roberto De Zerbi.
Brighton’s debut European campaign came in the 2023/24 Europa League, when they were drawn with Ajax, Marseille and AEK Athens.
After losing their opening match at home to AEK, Albion recovered impressively, beating Ajax home and away and eventually finishing top of the group.
A 1-0 victory over Marseille at the Amex secured first place before Brighton’s debut European campaign eventually ended against Roma in the last 16.
Albion lost 4-0 in Rome and won the return leg 1-0 in Brighton, going out 4-1 on aggregate.
The new campaign offers supporters a very different collection of destinations. Instead of Amsterdam, Marseille and Rome, Brighton fans now have trips to Jablonec, the Madrid area and Athens, while the Amex will host opposition from Lithuania, Romania and France.
How does the Conference League format work?
There are 36 clubs in the Conference League league phase, but they do not all play each other.
Each team plays six matches against six different opponents, with three at home and three away.
All 36 clubs are then ranked in a single league table.
The top eight progress directly to the round of 16. Clubs finishing from ninth to 24th enter a two-legged knockout phase play-off, while those finishing 25th or lower are eliminated.
The knockout play-offs are scheduled for 18 and 25 February 2027, followed by the round of 16 on 11 and 18 March.
The quarter-finals take place on 8 and 15 April, with the semi-finals on 29 April and 6 May.
The final will be played at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul on Wednesday 2 June 2027.
The qualification target
Top eight means no February play-off
Brighton’s clearest target is to finish in the top eight of the 36-team table, which would send Albion directly into the round of 16. Finishing ninth to 24th would mean an additional two-legged knockout play-off in February.
Who are Brighton’s Conference League opponents?
Monaco provide the headline home fixture. The Ligue 1 side were seeded in Pot 1 and will visit the Amex on 10 December.
Panathinaikos will be familiar to supporters from Brighton’s first European campaign, although the Greek club were not in Albion’s Europa League group. Brighton travel to Athens for their final league-phase match.
Getafe give Albion another trip to Spain, with the Madrid-based club hosting the Seagulls on 5 November.
Jablonec take Brighton to the Czech Republic for the first away fixture of the league phase.
The other two opponents travel to Sussex. Universitatea Craiova represent Romania and visit the Amex for an early kid-friendly 5.45pm kick-off on 26 November. For supporters collecting Albion loyalty points, it is also the most rewarding of the three home league-phase fixtures, carrying 20 points, compared with 10 for Monaco, and 15 for Kauno Žalgiris of Lithuania who have the honour of being Brighton’s first league-phase opponents.
Brighton’s six opponents
| Opponent | Country | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Kauno Žalgiris | Lithuania | Home |
| Jablonec | Czech Republic | Away |
| Getafe | Spain | Away |
| Universitatea Craiova | Romania | Home |
| Monaco | France | Home |
| Panathinaikos | Greece | Away |
When do Brighton Conference League tickets go on sale?
Albion have now published the first sales windows for the three home league-phase matches.
| Season-ticket holders | From 9am on Monday 7 September |
| MyAlbion+ members | From 9am on Wednesday 9 September |
| General sale | From 9am on Thursday 10 September |
| Guest tickets | Season-ticket holders and MyAlbion+ members can buy for themselves and up to two guests in their priority window |
| Three-match discount | £6 off per person when all three home league-phase matches are bought in one transaction |
| Away tickets | Sales windows and loyalty-point requirements will be announced separately for each fixture |
1901 Club members can also buy a three-match lounge package from 9am on 7 September, with individual 1901 Club match tickets due to go on sale later in September.
Albion have warned that UEFA requirements and stadium arrangements mean season-ticket holders and 1901 Club members are not guaranteed their usual seat for the European matches.
Away tickets
Do not assume the away allocations yet
UEFA visiting clubs are generally entitled to around 5% of stadium capacity, but final allocations, stadium arrangements and sales windows can differ. Albion are publishing away-ticket information separately for Jablonec, Getafe and Panathinaikos, so supporters should wait for the club’s confirmed details before treating any capacity estimate as guaranteed.
What Brighton need to qualify
There is no fixed points total that guarantees Brighton a place in the last 16 because qualification depends on results across the full 36-team table.
The clearest objective is a top-eight finish, which would send Albion directly into the last 16 and avoid two additional matches in February.
Finishing between ninth and 24th would keep their European campaign alive but require them to negotiate the knockout play-offs.
Teams such as Atalanta, Ajax, Braga, Freiburg, Copenhagen and others elsewhere in the league phase could become potential knockout opponents depending on final placings and the subsequent draw, but no particular tie can be predicted from the league-phase draw alone.
For Brighton supporters, what is already certain is another three European nights at the Amex and three more away trips across the continent.
Three years after Ajax, Marseille, Athens and Rome helped turn Albion’s first European season into a landmark chapter in the club’s history, European football is back in Brighton.
Brighton Conference League FAQs
Are Brighton in the Europa League in 2026/27?
No. Brighton & Hove Albion are competing in the UEFA Conference League in 2026/27. England’s Europa League representatives are Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Sunderland.
Who have Brighton drawn in the Conference League?
Brighton will play Monaco, Universitatea Craiova and Kauno Žalgiris at home, with away fixtures against Panathinaikos, Getafe and Jablonec.
When is Brighton’s first European game?
Albion begin the league phase at home to Kauno Žalgiris on Thursday 15 October 2026 at 8pm.
When do Brighton Conference League home tickets go on sale?
Season-ticket holders had first priority from 9am on Monday 7 September. MyAlbion+ members can buy from 9am on Wednesday 9 September, with general sale from 9am on Thursday 10 September.
When do Brighton play Monaco?
Brighton host Monaco at the Amex on Thursday 10 December at 8pm.
When do Brighton play Getafe?
Albion travel to Getafe on Thursday 5 November, with an 8pm UK kick-off.
When do Brighton play Panathinaikos?
The final league-phase fixture is away to Panathinaikos on Thursday 17 December at 8pm UK time.
Where is the Conference League final?
The 2026/27 UEFA Conference League final will be played at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul on Wednesday 2 June 2027.
How do Brighton qualify for the last 16?
A top-eight league-phase finish sends Brighton directly into the round of 16. Finishing ninth to 24th means entering the knockout phase play-offs.
Where can supporters check official Brighton ticket information?
Ticket arrangements, travel information and away-sales windows should be checked through Brighton & Hove Albion’s official supporter information and ticketing channels.
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