The UEFA Europa League is undergoing a major makeover for the 2024-25 season. With the Champions League format undergoing major changes this season, the Europa League is also undergoing a makeover for the 2024-25 campaign. The competition format is undergoing major changes. The end goal is the same – a major piece of silverware and automatic qualification for next season’s Champions League. But the road to the final is now rather different. Like the Champions League, the old group stage phase has been done away with. 36 teams will now compete in a league format with each club facing eight different opponents, with four home fixtures and four away fixtures. The total number of teams participating in the Europa League 2024-25 season has increased from 32 to 36. Notable teams like Tottenham, Manchester United, Real Sociedad, Athletic Club, Roma, Lazio, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hoffenheim, Lyon, Nice, Fenerbahçe, AZ, FC Twente, Union Saint-Gilloise, Rangers, and Porto will be part of the draw on Thursday. The 2023-24 UEFA Conference League winners, Olympiacos, have earned an automatic entry into the Europa League draw.
The New Europa League Format
How the Draw Works
The 36 teams will be divided into four pots of nine teams each based on their UEFA coefficients. The draw will determine each team's eight league phase opponents, with an AI-generated software deciding the fixtures. The software will also randomly decide which side plays are at home and away. Teams from the same country will be kept apart in the league phase while each team will play a maximum of two opponents from one other nation.
The Europa League Draw
The UEFA Europa League 2024-25 group stage draw is set to take place in Monaco on Friday, August 30, at 4:30 PM IST. The draw will be available to watch live on TNT Sports 1 and will also be available to stream for free on the TNT Sports YouTube channel, the UEFA website and the BBC Sport website. The draw will start with pot one, with opponents assigned to each of the nine included teams one after the other. This will continue for the remaining pots in descending order.
What Happens After the Draw?
Once the draw is complete, the confirmed dates and kick-off times for each game will be confirmed. Matches are due to take place on the following dates:
- Matchday 1: 25/26 September, 2024
- Matchday 2: 3 October, 2024
- Matchday 3: 24 October, 2024
- Matchday 4: 7 November, 2024
- Matchday 5: 28 November, 2024
- Matchday 6: 12 December, 2024
- Matchday 7: 23 January, 2025
- Matchday 8: 30 January, 2025
How the League Stage Works
The top eight teams after the league stage will progress directly to the round of 16. Teams that finished ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged play-off to secure a place in the last 16. Clubs from 25th to 36th will exit the competition.
The Knockout Stages
The knockout stage of the competition is a little more familiar, comprising of two-legged ties leading up to the final.
The Future of the Europa League
The new format is a significant change for the Europa League, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out. The new format is designed to make the competition more exciting and unpredictable, and it is likely to lead to some memorable matches.
The Final Word
The UEFA Europa League is a major competition, and the new format is sure to make it even more exciting. The draw will be a key moment in the season, and fans will be eager to see which teams will be facing each other in the league stage. The new format is likely to lead to some surprises and upsets, and it will be a thrilling competition to follow.
