TSG Hoffenheim has drawn Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir as its first opponent in the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League group stage. The draw took place on Thursday in Nyon.
The Kraichgau-based club will now face the 2020 Turkish champions, who finished third in the Süper Lig last season. This marks Hoffenheim's first European campaign since the 2020/21 season, when they were eliminated in the Europa League group stage. Manager Pellegrino Matarazzo's team qualified for the competition by finishing fifth in the final Bundesliga table last season. Hoffenheim ended the 2025 campaign with 61 points from 18 wins, seven draws, and nine losses.
Besides the Turkish representative, TSG will face two other, yet-to-be-determined clubs in the group phase. The complete group composition will only be finalized after the concluding qualification rounds. Thursday's draw only established the seeding pots and the basic pairings. Hoffenheim was drawn as a team from Pot 3, while Istanbul Basaksehir comes from Pot 2. The match dates for the six group games will be announced at a later time. TSG must prepare for demanding away trips, with the match in Istanbul presenting a particular logistical challenge.
The Europa League matches mean an additional load on the squad, especially in a season that has already started with a tight schedule for Hoffenheim. The next competitive match is an away fixture against 1. FC Köln on Saturday, 29 August 2026. Köln currently occupies 14th place in the table. Hoffenheim's recent form from the final five games of last season shows a positive trend with the sequence loss, win, draw, win, win (LWDWW). The team scored 65 goals and conceded 52 across the entire last campaign, resulting in a positive goal difference of +13. Squad depth will be vital to cope with the demands of three competitions. Details on the current player roster are available on our squad page.
The pairing with Istanbul Basaksehir is considered balanced from a sporting viewpoint. The Turkish club has experienced internationals and is known for its strong home atmosphere. For Hoffenheim, participation in the Europa League offers a chance to gain international profile and collect valuable experience. Advancing from the group would be a major success and could generate additional revenue. Sporting director Alexander Rosen and his team will monitor the competition's development closely, while the team initially focuses on the Bundesliga. The current league table can be viewed on our standings page.
The start in European competition is evidence of TSG's consistent work in recent years, even though the club finished 28 points behind record champions Bayern Munich in the championship, indicating a gap to the absolute top clubs. The coming weeks will show how the team manages the double burden of league and international fixtures. The exact dates for the European matches will soon be available on our fixtures calendar.
