AC Milan to host SL Benfica in Europa League opener at San Siro on Sept 17, 2026

AC Milan will host SL Benfica at the San Siro in Milan in the opening match of the UEFA Europa League 2026-27 on Thursday, September 17, 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 12:30 AM IST. The fixture pits two former European champions against each other in their first group-stage game of the campaign.

Both clubs missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification last season and enter the Europa League as sides singled out among the likely contenders for the competition’s title in Frankfurt next spring. Milan and Benfica arrive with heightened expectations after underwhelming domestic finishes in their respective previous campaigns.

Milan suffered six defeats in their last 10 league matches last season, a run that weakened their hold on Champions League football and precipitated a rapid departure of the club’s administration. Max Allegri’s second stint as manager ended after one year, and Ruben Amorim has been appointed to replace him. According to the report, Amorim’s new club are unbeaten thus far.

Benfica have a winless competitive record against Milan across six meetings, a sequence that includes the 1963 and 1990 European Cup finals. The Portuguese side also fell short of expectations in the prior season, finishing third in the Primeira Liga under Jose Mourinho.

The match will kick off at 12:30 AM IST on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the San Siro in Milan, Italy. Viewers in India can watch live on the Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV; the game will be shown on TNT Sports in the United Kingdom and on Sky Italia in Italy. Audiences in the United States can follow the fixture via Paramount+, DAZN, and TUDN.

This game serves as both clubs’ opening fixture in the UEFA Europa League 2026-27 and represents an early opportunity to establish momentum in a tournament whose title will be decided in Frankfurt next spring.