Europa League knockout play-off draw: Nottingham Forest face Fenerbahce as Celtic draw Stuttgart
Nottingham Forest to play Fenerbahce and Celtic to face Stuttgart in Europa League knockout play-offs; Forest will play either Midtjylland or Real Betis in the last 16 if they make it through; Celtic will face either Porto or Braga in the last 16 if they qualify
Friday 30 January 2026 13:32, UK
Nottingham Forest will face Turkish giants Fenerbahce in the Europa League knockout play-off round, as Celtic were drawn against German side Stuttgart.
Forest were seeded in Friday's draw after their 13th-placed finish in the league phase and could have drawn either Rafael Benitez's Panathinaikos or Fenerbahce.
Sean Dyche's side will face the latter with the first leg in Istanbul on February 19, followed by the second leg at the City Ground on February 26.
Forest will play either Danish side Midtjylland or Real Betis of Spain in the last 16 if they make it through.
Celtic, meanwhile, will be at home for the first leg of their tie against Stuttgart after they were unseeded in the draw following their 21st-placed finish.
Celtic were denied a reunion with Robbie Keane, who manages Ferencvaros, after the Hoops drew the Bundesliga side.
Celtic have met Stuttgart before, beating them 5-4 on aggregate in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup back in 2003, en route to the final under Martin O'Neill.
The team that beat them in that final, Porto, are one of two potential last-16 opponents this season, with the other also from Portugal - Braga.
Europa League draw in full
Ties will be played on February 19 and February 26
- Dinamo Zagreb vs Genk
- Brann vs Bologna
- Ludogorets vs Ferencvaros
- Celtic vs Stuttgart
- Panathinaikos vs Viktoria Plzen
- Fenerbahce vs Nottingham Forest
- PAOK vs Celta Vigo
- Lille vs Red Star Belgrade
