The 2026 UEFA Europa League finalists will be confirmed on Thursday 7 May. Two English sides, two Portuguese and German clubs, two dramatically different ties, and two narrow one-goal first-leg deficits to overturn.
Nottingham Forest hold a slim edge as their all-English tie with Aston Villa concludes, while Freiburg look to bounce back from a late first-leg defeat to Braga in the second legs on Thursday 7 May.
The winners meet in Istanbul at Beşiktaş Park on Wednesday 20 May 2026. Bet on both matches at Duelbits Sportsbook.
Odds correct at time of writing and subject to change.
| Tie | First Leg | Aggregate | Second Leg | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest | Forest 1-0 Villa | Forest lead 1-0 | Villa Park, Birmingham | Thu 7 May |
| Freiburg vs Braga | Braga 2-1 Freiburg | Braga lead 2-1 | Europa-Park Stadion, Freiburg | Thu 7 May |
Both matches kick off at 21:00 CET. No away goals rule, ties level on aggregate after 90 minutes go to extra time and then penalties if still level.
Villa Park, Birmingham | 21:00 CET Aggregate: Nottingham Forest lead 1-0
| Aston Villa | Draw | Nottingham Forest |
|---|---|---|
| 1.76 | 3.80 | 4.55 |
💰 2UP - Early Payout: If Aston Villa go 2 goals ahead at any point, your bet is paid out immediately as a winner.
| Aston Villa | Draw | Nottingham Forest |
|---|---|---|
| 1.67 | 3.55 | 4.00 |
To Qualify:
| Aston Villa | Nottingham Forest |
|---|---|
| 2.09 | 1.72 |
🔥 Mega Boost: Aston Villa To Win & Ollie Watkins To Score 1st - 6.00 8.00
⚡ You Name It, We Price It:
| Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Both Goalkeepers To Make 3+ Saves | 3.00 |
| Both Teams To Score & 10+ Match Shots On Target | 3.40 |
| Ollie Watkins To Have A Shot On Target In Each Half | 3.50 |
| Aston Villa To Win & Both Watkins & Rogers To Score Or Assist | 3.60 |
| Nottingham Forest To Win & Both Chris Wood & Gibbs-White To Score Or Assist | 14.00 |
Chris Wood scored from the penalty spot as impressive Nottingham Forest claimed a narrow advantage over Aston Villa in their UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg. Wood converted a 71st-minute penalty after Lucas Digne was whistled for handball.
This was the first all-English European semi-final since the 2008/09 Champions League, when Manchester United defeated Arsenal 4-1 on aggregate. Both managers will now prepare for the defining night of their respective seasons.
Aston Villa's defeat ended a run of nine successive Europa League victories. This was only Villa's third loss in their last 18 European fixtures.
Aston Villa: Must win the match. A 1-0 Villa win sends the tie to extra time. Any 2-goal Villa victory advances them to Istanbul.
Nottingham Forest: A draw or win advances them. Even a 1-1 forces extra time in their favour, they just need not to lose.
Villa Park in a European semi-final with everything on the line is one of the most intimidating environments in English football. Matty Cash after the first leg: "We are still in the game. We are in a European semi-final back at Villa Park and we have loads to play for. There's loads of football still to play with our people at home."
Ollie Watkins, Villa's most dangerous attacker, was subdued at the City Ground but returns to his home crowd with the Mega Boost at 8.00 reflecting his status as the most likely scorer if Villa are to overturn the deficit. Unai Emery's four-time Europa League winner will have prepared meticulously for this occasion, he has been here many times before and rarely loses at this stage.
Omari Hutchinson after the first leg: "This is just the first game, we have another one to go next week but we are going to stay concentrated. We've been having to prove the doubters wrong the whole season."
Nottingham Forest have lost only three of their last 13 Europa League matches (W8 D2). Forest have won five of their last seven Europa League games, keeping clean sheets in each of those five victories.
Forest's ability to grind out results and keep clean sheets is the tactical blueprint Vítor Pereira will take to Villa Park. If they can score on the counter, as they did at the City Ground, the tie is over and Forest are in Istanbul for their first European final since 1980.
Freiburg's coach after the first leg said: "The team have the quality to come back. With our supporters behind us and playing at home, we have the confidence to deliver a better performance and win." But the equivalent pressure rests on Villa, not Forest, it is Villa who must attack, Villa who must break down a resolute Forest defence, and Villa who must do it without conceding.
The Mega Boost, Villa To Win & Watkins To Score 1st at 8.00, is the standout special of the night. Villa's most dangerous player, in a match where they must win, at Villa Park. At 8.00 this is exceptional value for a match-defining outcome.
Pick: Aston Villa to win the match, with the tie going to extra time. Slight lean to Forest to qualify on aggregate, their defensive record and tactical discipline at the highest level is the decisive edge.
Best bets:
Europa-Park Stadion, Freiburg | 21:00 CET Aggregate: Braga lead 2-1
| Freiburg | Draw | Braga |
|---|---|---|
| 1.79 | 3.65 | 4.60 |
💰 2UP - Early Payout: If Freiburg go 2 goals ahead at any point, your bet is paid out immediately as a winner.
| Freiburg | Draw | Braga |
|---|---|---|
| 1.70 | 3.40 | 4.05 |
To Qualify:
| Freiburg | Braga |
|---|---|
| 2.15 | 1.68 |
⚡ Odds Boost: 3+ Goals, Both Teams To Score & Vincenzo Grifo To Score Or Assist - 3.50 4.00
🎯 Double Chance:
| Freiburg Or Braga | Draw Or Braga | Freiburg Or Draw |
|---|---|---|
| 1.29 | 1.94 | 1.21 |
Both Teams To Score:
| Yes | No |
|---|---|
| 1.94 | 1.84 |
In their first European semi-final, Freiburg recovered after conceding early in Braga and had Noah Atubolu to thank for a superb first-half penalty save, only to suffer the late blow of a 92nd-minute winner in a keenly-contested 2-1 defeat. Coach Julian Schuster said: "The start and the end were not good for us. We remain positive for the second leg. The team have the quality to come back. With our supporters behind us and playing at home, we have the confidence to deliver a better performance and win the second match."
Braga's run of eight straight successes in two-legged European ties should provide the belief needed. Mario Dorgeles scored the 92nd-minute winner that gave Braga their slim but crucial advantage.
Freiburg: A 1-0 win sends the tie to extra time at 2-2. A 2-0 win or better advances them automatically. An own-goal or any Braga goal means Freiburg need even more.
Braga: A single away goal effectively ends the tie, Freiburg would then need to score four without reply. They simply need to avoid losing by more than one goal.
Freiburg have won all six of their home games in this Europa League campaign. Six from six at the Europa-Park Stadion, a perfect home record across an entire European campaign. The Freiburg crowd and the unique atmosphere of their ground has been their greatest weapon all season, and it will be at its most intense on Thursday night.
Vincenzo Grifo is Freiburg's most creative player, a set-piece expert and the most likely source of moments that can unlock a Braga defence in a tight European tie. The Odds Boost at 4.00, 3+ Goals, Both Teams To Score & Grifo To Score Or Assist, reflects exactly what Freiburg's ideal game looks like: an open, goal-filled match where their home quality tells.
Braga's run of eight straight successes in two-legged European ties gives them enormous confidence for the second leg. They don't need to win, they just need one goal. A single Braga goal means Freiburg must score four times without reply, which is effectively impossible.
Braga's game management has been outstanding all season. They have the quality to sit and counter effectively, and Mario Dorgeles, who scored the late winner in the first leg, gives them the pace and directness to hurt Freiburg on the break when they push forward.
Freiburg's perfect home record versus Braga's eight-match winning streak in European two-legged ties. Something has to give. Freiburg have the atmosphere, the home record, and the motivation. Braga have the aggregate advantage, the two-legged experience, and the tactical instruction to sit back and absorb.
The most interesting bet is the Odds Boost at 4.00 - combining 3+ goals, both teams to score, and Grifo involvement. If Freiburg are going to overturn this deficit, it almost certainly involves a goal-heavy second leg where their home quality tells and Grifo is at the heart of it.
Pick: Freiburg to win the match. Lean to Braga to qualify on aggregate, their two-legged pedigree (8 consecutive tie victories) and the reality of the task Freiburg face is the decisive factor.
Best bets:
| Match | Bet | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Villa vs Forest | 🔥 Mega Boost: Villa Win & Watkins 1st Scorer | 8.00 |
| Villa vs Forest | To Qualify: Nottingham Forest | 1.72 |
| Villa vs Forest | Ollie Watkins Shot On Target Each Half | 3.50 |
| Freiburg vs Braga | ⚡ Odds Boost: 3+ Goals, BTTS & Grifo Score/Assist | 4.00 |
| Freiburg vs Braga | Freiburg to win match | 1.79 |
| Freiburg vs Braga | Both Teams To Score (Yes) | 1.94 |
Bet on all Europa League second-leg markets at Duelbits Sportsbook. Don't miss the 2UP Early Payout feature available on both matches, get paid if your team goes two goals ahead regardless of the final result.
Odds correct at time of writing and subject to change.
When are the Europa League semi-final second legs in 2026? Both second legs take place Thursday 7 May 2026 at 21:00 CET, Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest at Villa Park, and Freiburg vs Braga at Europa-Park Stadion.
What are the aggregate scores going into the second legs? Nottingham Forest lead Aston Villa 1-0 (Chris Wood penalty). Braga lead Freiburg 2-1 (Dorgeles 92nd-minute winner in the first leg in Portugal).
What does Aston Villa need to beat Nottingham Forest? Villa must win the second leg. A 1-0 Villa win forces extra time. A 2-0 or better Villa win advances them to Istanbul. Any Forest goal means Villa need to score at least twice more to equal or exceed Forest's aggregate.
What does Freiburg need to beat Braga? A 1-0 Freiburg win forces extra time at 2-2. A 2-0 or better win advances them automatically. A single Braga goal means Freiburg need to score four times without reply to win.
Where is the 2026 Europa League final? Wednesday 20 May 2026 at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul, Turkey.
What is the Mega Boost on Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest? Aston Villa To Win & Ollie Watkins To Score 1st, boosted from 6.00 to 8.00. Watkins is Villa's primary attacking threat and the most likely scorer if Villa are to advance.
What is the Odds Boost on Freiburg vs Braga? 3+ Goals, Both Teams To Score & Vincenzo Grifo To Score Or Assist, boosted from 3.50 to 4.00. Freiburg's most creative player in a potentially open, goal-heavy tie.
Where can I bet on the Europa League semi-final second legs? Both matches are live on Duelbits Sportsbook. Navigate to Soccer and find the UEFA Europa League. Markets include match winner, 2UP Early Payout, To Qualify, Double Chance, Both Teams To Score, Goals, Goalscorers, and You Name It We Price It specials.
