Celtic's UEFA Europa League league-phase schedule is now fixed, with a home opener against Ferencvarosi TC, a trip to Benfica on October 15 and Marseille visiting Parkhead on January 21. The campaign runs to eight matches, so this is a proper schedule story rather than a single-night tie.
Celtic's opening and closing run
The first and last fixtures give the draw its shape. Celtic kick off against Ferencvaros, then head to Lisbon in mid-October before finishing the league phase away to Union SG on January 28.
That order matters because there is very little breathing space across an eight-game league phase. Celtic finished their last Europa League league phase with 11 points, and they arrive in Europe on the back of five straight wins. Their 5-1 win at Kilmarnock was the most eye-catching result in that run, with the attack looking lively enough to carry into Europe.
The games that define the route
Benfica away is the biggest early test in the list. It comes on October 15, which gives Celtic a clear marker well before the winter stretch. Marseille at Parkhead on January 21 closes the home side of the story, and it is the sort of fixture that should tell them where they stand in the league phase.
There was one minor wrinkle in the wider coverage on the first Europa League matchday date, with one source listing September 15 and another pointing to September 16 or 17. The fixture list for Celtic itself is settled: Ferencvaros first, Benfica in Lisbon in October, Marseille in Glasgow in January, then Union SG away to finish on January 28.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
