Europa League 2025-26: Nottingham Forest return to Europe with trip to Real Betis
Nottingham Forest will make their return to European football after three decades in Seville against Real Betis.
The Europa League game, on September 24, will be the first time Forest have played in Europe since March 1996.
On that night they were beaten 5-1 by a strong Bayern Munich side in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup. This time around Nuno Espirito Santo’s side will head to face the La Liga side that is managed by the veteran Manuel Pellegrini.
But while Forest fans will already be busy trying to book flights and hotels, they can also look forward to the City Ground hosting some big nights under the lights.
FC Midtjylland, the Danish side who include former Bournemouth midfielder Philip Billing in their ranks, will be the first visitors on October 2.
Dates and times
(All times UK)
September 24: Real Betis (A), 8pm
October 2: FC Midtjylland (H), 8pm
October 23: Porto (H), 8pm
November 6: Sturm Graz (A), 5.45pm
November 27: Malmo (H), 8pm
December 11: Utrecht (A), 5.45pm
January 22: Braga (A), 8pm
January 29: Ferencvarosi (H), 8pm
What will this European journey mean to Forest?
Playing in the Europa League will feel like something remarkable to a Forest side who only returned to the Premier League in 2022.
This time four years ago, Forest were struggling at the wrong end of the Championship. Now they can look forward to a reunion with Malmo — the side they beat in Munich, on the night when Brian Clough’s Miracle Men won the European Cup for the first time in 1979. The Swedish side will visit the City Ground on November 27.
For Nuno, facing the Porto side he both played for and managed will hold special significance when they visit Nottingham on October 23. He has already stated how much he is looking forward to visiting what he described as the ‘beautiful’ city of Braga, in his native Portugal, on January 22 next year.
For Forest fans, every one of these fixtures — particularly the trips to Spain, Austria, the Netherlands and Portugal — will hold great significance, as they represent the remarkable upward trajectory that they have been on, firstly under Steve Cooper and now under Nuno.
(Top photo: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
