UEFA Women's Europa Cup round of 16 preview: PSV-Frankfurt, Häcken-Inter, Ajax-Hammarby

The UEFA Women's Europa Cup round of 16 kicks off on Wednesday, with the knockout bracket now set until the inaugural final. These are some of the key themes to look out for ahead of the ties, for which the return legs are on 19 and 20 November.

Every round in the new competition is contested as a set of two-legged knockout ties, including the final on 25/26 April and 2/3 May.

Can Frankfurt double up?

There would be a neat symmetry if Eintracht Frankfurt were to win this new competition because in 2001/02, as FFC Frankfurt, they were the first team to lift the UEFA Women's Cup. In 2014/15, they won their fourth European title but that remains the last of Frankfurt's 20 major honours, though the likes of Elisa Senss, Nicole Anyomi, Amanda Ilestedt and Géraldine Reuteler are just a few of the international talents they currently boast and their 3-2 weeked win at Wolfsburg underlines their strength.

Their opponents PSV Eindhoven are not to be taken lightly, having overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit to knock out Rosenborg in the first qualifying round. Their Swiss international Riola Xhemaili, formerly of Wolfsburg, has built on her UEFA Women's EURO 2025 heroics with a prolific start to the club season.

Will Champions League experience tell?

Frankfurt were in the Champions League group stage two seasons ago and they are not the only team involved to boast UEFA competition pedigree. Hammarby, who participated in the 2024/25 group stage, take on a side that reached the Champions League quarter-finals the season before, Ajax. Another 2023/24 quarter-finalist, Häcken, face an Inter side that have struck 17 times in their four matches played in their first European season.

Breidablik, who played in the Women's Champions League group stage four seasons ago and were UEFA Women's Cup quarter-finalists in 2006/07, take on Fortuna Hjørring, the 2002/03 runners-up. Glasgow City reached the Champions League quarter-finals in 2014/15 and their late turnaround against HB Køge to make the round of 16 is a warning to Sporting CP, who did similar in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier against Roma before being knocked out in the return leg.

New forces aiming for success

Inter, with a squad including prolific Belgian striker Tessa Wullaert, are not the only UEFA competition debutants in the last 16. Others include PSV, Sporting and Young Boys, the latter facing Sparta Praha, who are by contrast in their 22nd European campaign (the second most of any club) and were UEFA Women's Cup quarter-finalists in 2005/06.

Two other match-ups pair teams also breaking new ground. One is Anderlecht against Austria Wien, two teams that came through epic second qualifying round ties, and the other is Nordsjælland vs Mura, only the second Slovenian side to make the last 16 of a UEFA women's club competition.

Women's Europa Cup round of 16 ties

First legs

Wednesday 12 November

Nordsjælland vs Mura (18:00)
Häcken vs Inter (18:30)
Sparta Praha vs Young Boys (18:45)
Anderlecht vs Austria Wien (19:00)
Breidablik vs Fortuna Hjørring (19:00)
PSV Eindhoven vs Eintracht Frankfurt (19:00)
Ajax vs Hammarby (19:30)
Glasgow City vs Sporting CP (20:35)

Second legs

Wednesday 19 November

Young Boys vs Sparta Praha (18:00)
Fortuna Hjørring vs Breidablik (18:00)
Mura vs Nordsjælland (18:00)
Inter vs Häcken (18:30)
Austria Wien vs Anderlecht (19:30)
Sporting CP vs Glasgow City (20:45)

Thursday 20 November

Eintracht Frankfurt vs PSV Eindhoven (18:30)
Hammarby vs Ajax (19:00)

All times CET