Celtic host Ferencvaros in Europa League opener after Rangers defeat

Celtic will host Hungarian side Ferencvaros at Celtic Park on Thursday, September 17, 2026, in the opening match of the UEFA Europa League league phase. The fixture comes at a critical juncture for the Scottish club, which is seeking to rebound from a damaging 3-0 defeat to Old Firm rivals Rangers in the Scottish League Cup quarterfinals on Sunday. Ferencvaros have been actively studying Celtic's recent loss to prepare for the encounter. Attacker Marius Corbu stated that the team analyzed Celtic's attacking patterns and full-back positioning from the Rangers match to identify potential weaknesses. "We analysed in detail how Celtic build their attacks and when their full backs come forward and when there may be free space behind them," Corbu said. He added that Ferencvaros cannot rely solely on counter-attacks and will aim to impose their own style. The Hungarian club enters the match in strong form, having won seven of its opening 15 matches across all competitions and remaining unbeaten in its last eight games. Ferencvaros secured its Europa League place by defeating Trabzonspor 5-0 in the final qualifying round.