When Did Nottingham Forest Last Play In Europe? - A Look Back At Their European History

A Look Back at Nottingham Forest and Their European History

Nottingham Forest went into the final day of the 2024-25 Premier League season with the knowledge that they would make their long-awaited return to European football following a 29-year absence. They just had no idea if it would be in the form of Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League football.

The UEFA Conference League awaits in 2025/26. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/F6VQ2iOIud

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) May 25, 2025

Following their 1-0 defeat at home to also Champions League-chasing Chelsea, Forest had their fate confirmed and they will be competing in the UEFA Conference League next season- a competition which started just four years ago, when the Reds were still playing Championship football. Forest’s success in European competition is so rich, they have actually won more European cups than they have domestic ones. It has been a roller coaster ride for Forest fans over recent decades, and in this piece, we will cast a look back upon those golden days of Nottingham Forest and their rich European history.

First Steps in European Football

Nottingham Forest first stepped into European football under manager Andy Beattie in 1961 as they entered the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. They entered the competition as one of three English sides- Birmingham City and Sheffield Wednesday also competed alongside them. This competition was seen more as a first European adventure for Nottingham Forest. They were thrown right into the deep end, tasked to play the eventual winners Valencia in the first round, where they were defeated 7-1 over two legs. The only thing to write home about was when they rewarded their fans with a goal at the City Ground in the second leg.

Six years on, and Forest fans were celebrating a return to European football- this time was substantially more successful than the first. Not only were the Reds being competitive in these games, but they were also winning them. They were drawn to play Eintracht Frankfurt in the first round of the 1967-68 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. They first defeated the German outfit 5-0 on aggregate before playing Swiss side FC Zürich in round 2. The Tricky Trees made it three wins from three after taking a 2-1 lead to Switzerland, before they were knocked out of the competition on the away goals rule, after losing their away leg 1-0.

This was the first, second and last taste of European football that Forest fans would receive for another decade, but it was so worth it.

Brian Clough’s Golden Trees

(Screenshot taken from thecityground.com)

When Brian Clough took over in Nottingham at the beginning of 1975, little did anyone know this was about to be the start of the most successful period in the club's history. During Clough’s reign, Forest reached the pinnacle rapidly. He came to Nottingham when Forest were in the second division, and within three years he led them to their first and only First Division title in the 1977-78 season.

They entered the European Cup in 1978-79 for the very first time and stormed their way to their first European title in the competition at the first time of asking. Their first task was perhaps their most difficult and most daunting one- the reigning European Champions, Liverpool. After a stunning first leg victory at the City Ground, winning 2-0, they were able to hold Liverpool two weeks later at Anfield, knocking them out in the first round.

📅 On this day in 1979, #NFFC lifted the European Cup for the first time, defeating Malmo 1-0 in Munich thanks to a Trevor Francis goal. pic.twitter.com/KMXuBdFUxF

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) May 30, 2017

Clough’s side then proceeded to dominate AEK Athens in the next round 7-2 over two legs, before then getting their revenge on Switzerland, dispatching Grasshopper 5-2 before requiring a tight 1-0 win in the semi final second leg against FC Köln to win 4-3 on aggregate. Nottingham Forest's first special day came in Munich, where a first-half goal was all that was needed to conquer Malmö FF in the final as Forest won their first-ever European trophy. A few months on and Brian Clough led his team to another European trophy, where they defeated Barcelona 2-1 over two legs to lift the 1979 European Super Cup.

Forest then entered the following season’s edition of the European Cup, where they were looking to achieve historic back-to-back titles. They breezed past the first two rounds, where they beat Öster and Argeş Piteşti respectively before having to perform a comeback to down Dynamo Dresden. In the semi finals, Forest narrowly made it past Ajax to make it to the final two years in a row. This time it was German side Hamburg who they would face, however, it was the same story as a year prior, as only one goal was needed to down the German Champions.

45 years ago today in Madrid….

Nottingham Forest win the European for the second year running.

John Robertson with the decisive strike against a Hamburg side featuring Kevin Keegan. pic.twitter.com/9Z2IoJXqk0

— When Football Was Better (@FootballInT80s) May 28, 2025

European Ups and Downs

Following their historic back-to-back achievements in the European Cup, Forest then proceeded to go on a bit of a poor run in Europe. Firstly, they were defeated in that years Super Cup by Valencia, before they then lost the 1980 Intercontinental Cup 1-0 to Uruguayan outfit, Nacional. This poor run ended after they were dumped out of the following European Cup in the first round to CSKA Sofia, going scoreless in each leg.

Forest then spent a few seasons out of European competition before they finished 5th in the First Division in the 1982-83 season which saw them enter the following season into the UEFA Cup. The Reds made another deep run in Europe, which saw them knock out Vorwäts Frankfurt, PSV Eindhoven, Celtic, and Sturm Graz on the way to the semi finals, where their run eventually halted at the hands of Belgian side, Anderlecht.

Just when things were starting to look up for Clough’s side, after they finished third the following campaign to return to the UEFA Cup in successive seasons, their run ended abruptly in the first round to Club Brugge. Eight years later, at the end of the 1992-93 campaign, Clough’s magical reign came to an end and a new era began at the City Ground.

Two years on from this, and under new manager Frank Clark, Forest returned to European football and the UEFA Cup for the final time for a long while. All in all, it was a relatively successful tournament for this new look Forest side after a decade out of Europe. They took care of Malmö, Auxerre, and Lyon before being dismantled by eventual Champions Bayern Munich in the quarter finals.

A Historical Return on the Horizon

Following a 29-year absence from European competition, with Forest being stuck in the Championship for 21 seasons in that timeframe, with a further three seasons experiencing third tier football, Forest have not just made a magical return to top flight football, but have made a statement by making plenty of signings to ensure they stay up in a modern period where promoted clubs struggle to stay afloat in the Premier League.

We secured a place in the UEFA Conference League, the club’s first European competition since 1995/96. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/8h83t998Mw

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) May 27, 2025

After a steady couple of seasons focusing on survival, this campaign, the Reds have stepped up, achieving Conference League football for the 2025-26 season, and will be one of the teams to watch in terms of winning the competition should they improve in the right areas and focus on achieving another deep run in Europe.