Dutch Women Teams Chase European Glory in Europa Cup Knockout Rounds
Three Dutch women’s football clubs enter the last sixteen of the Europa Cup as the secondary continental tournament moves to its knockout phase. Ajax, PSV, and debutant Feyenoord carry the nation’s hopes into the round of 16, facing varying paths against seasoned European opponents.
PSV and Ajax stream in from the Champions League qualification and therefore belong on paper to the stronger teams in the Europa Cup. The tournament is a level below the Champions League, and the round of 16 begins with the first-leg matches on Wednesday evening.
Feyenoord Encounters Wolfsburg in Historic Debut Campaign
Feyenoord reached the round of 16 in its first-ever European campaign by defeating Belgian side Anderlecht and Norwegian club Vålerenga in the qualifying rounds. The Rotterdam side secured qualification despite a 2-1 defeat in the return leg in Oslo on September 30, 2026, advancing with 5 goals in total over two matches after a 4-1 home victory. For the round of 16, manager Marc Pieters’ squad drew VfL Wolfsburg. The German club reached the Champions League final in 2023 and ranks sixth in Europe on coefficients. Wolfsburg features Oranje international Ella Peddemors as top scorer alongside former Twente defender Lieske Carleer, making the German side the tournament favorite.
As reward for that good qualifying phase, the team received the heaviest possible draw in the main tournament, going on a visit to VfL Wolfsburg on Wednesday evening at 19:00, which has finished first or second every year in the German competition since 2012.
PSV Faces Eintracht Frankfurt After Champions League Exit
PSV missed the Champions League main phase following summer squad departures after claiming their first domestic league title last summer. Sandra Doreleijers, PSV’s manager of women’s football, noted that while the group stage miss was a disappointment, the Europa Cup presents an opening, pointing to the previous season’s all-Swedish final as proof that Dutch sides can advance. PSV reached the last sixteen by securing a scoreless 0-0 draw against Fortuna Hjørring in Denmark, defending a 1-0 first-leg lead. Their round of 16 test pits them against Eintracht Frankfurt at the Herdgang. Frankfurt reached the Europa Cup semi-finals last year—falling to eventual champions BK Häcken—and includes Dutch striker Danique Tolhoek in its squad.
That team has finished third in the German competition for five years in a row and collected quite a few European victories in those years.
Ajax Draws Malmo FF Following Qualification
Ajax advanced into the Europa Cup bracket after not getting past Real Madrid in the Champions League qualification. In their earlier qualifying path, Ajax defeated Aktobe 8-0 in the Arena before a 1-0 away defeat in Kazakhstan where trainer Anouk Bruil rested several starters, including Sherida Spitse. In the round of 16, the Amsterdam club meets Swedish side Malmö FF. Founded in 2019, the current Malmö women’s team differs from the club active in the early 2000s and competes in Europe for the first time. Ajax captain Sherida Spitse expressed confidence to ESPN regarding the team’s prospects, stating that winning the tournament is realistic provided the squad maintains fitness and momentum through the fixtures scheduled for late October and November 2026.
Ajax has on paper the most favorable draw, but Malmö is still a large unknown in many areas, prompting Spitse to state: Als ik kijk wie er allemaal nog in zitten, dan denk ik wel dat het realistisch is
and adding, Maar we moeten wel allemaal fit blijven, we moeten wel in een bepaalde flow blijven. Het zal niet makkelijk worden. Maar ik denk wel dat het kan.
The first matches of the round of 16 are scheduled for October 28 or 29, 2026, after which the returns follow on November 10 or 11, 2026.
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