Europa League 2024-25: All teams, format & everything you need to know

Manchester United will open their Europa League quest against Twente.

The 54th Europa League campaign will be the first to use the new ‘league phase’ format for the 2024–25 season. What’s new, then? What significant modifications have been made to this year’s competition?

All the European competitions have changed their formats from the Champions League to the Conference League. They have turned them more into league football, while the knockout stages remain the same.

The fans will witness a different format this time. In this article, we have explained in detail how it works. Everything you need to understand about this club competition’s 54th edition:

What is the new Europa League format?

The competition’s group round will be reduced to a single 36-team “league stage,” which is the largest alteration.

Eight different teams will play each club, four at home and four away. The top eight teams from the final standings will go straight to the round of 16.

The teams that place ninth through twenty-fourth will then play in the knockout playoffs, with the winners moving on to the round of sixteen. The knockout stage doesn’t change.

Teams that have reached the league phase.

In addition to the five other teams based on their local league standings, seven domestic cup winners were guaranteed a spot in the competition while Olympiacos, the UEFA Europa Conference League holders, were also assured of a place.

• Netherlands (3): Ajax, AZ, Twente
• Türkiye (3): Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray
• Belgium (2): Anderlecht, Union Saint-Gilloise
• Czechia (2): Slavia Praha, Viktoria Plzeň
• England (2): Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
• France (2): Nice, Lyon
• Germany (2): Eintracht Frankfurt, Hoffenheim
• Greece (2): Olympiacos, PAOK
• Italy (2): Lazio, Roma
• Portugal (2): Braga, Porto
• Spain (2): Athletic Club, Real Sociedad
• Sweden (2): Elfsborg, Malmö
• Azerbaijan (1): Qarabağ
• Bulgaria (1): Ludogorets
• Denmark (1): Midtjylland
• Hungary (1): Ferencváros
• Israel (1): M. Tel-Aviv
• Latvia (1): RFS
• Norway (1): Bodø/Glimt
• Romania (1): FCSB
• Scotland (1): Rangers
• Ukraine (1): Dynamo Kyiv

Key matches in the Europa League

The new format of the Europa League will also have exciting games. The best teams around Europe will hope to finish under the top eight to secure a direct place in the last 16.

26 September:

Manchester United vs Twente

Nice vs Real Sociedad

Malmo vs Rangers

27 September:

AS Roma vs Atheltic Bilbao

04 October:

Porto vs Man United

Rangers vs Lyon

07 November:

Galatasaray vs Tottenham Hotspur

29 November:

Nice vs Rangers

Real Sociedad vs Ajax

Tottenham vs AS Roma

13 December:

Rangers vs Tottenham

24 January:

Man United vs Rangers

31 January:

Ajax vs Galatasaray

When are the matchdays of the new Europa League?

• Matchday 1: September 25-26 2024
• Matchday 2: October 3 2024
• Matchday 3: October 24 2024
• Matchday 4: November 7 2024
• Matchday 5: November 28 2024
• Matchday 6: December 12 2024
• Matchday 7: January 23 2025
• Matchday 8: January 30 2025

When does the knockout stage start?

• Knockout play-offs: February 13 and February 20 2025
• Round of 16: March 6 and March 13 2025
• Quarter-finals: April 10 and April 17 2025
• Semi-finals: May 1 and May 8 2025
• Final: May 21 2025

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