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When is the Europa League draw? Start time, new format and how to watch on TV

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The Europa League will see its new play-offs format in action for the first time in February, to decide which teams enter the last-16 knockout round.

The top eight teams in the final Europa League league-phase table are automatically through to the last-16, and they will be joined by the winners of the play-offs after a set of eight two-legged ties between those clubs who finished from ninth to 24th in the league standings.

There are three British sides in the Europa League, with Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers all hoping to go far in the competition, having all qualified for the last-16 by finishing the league phase in the top eight spots.

Here is all you need to know about the Europa League play-offs draw.

When is the Europa League draw?

The Europa League play-offs draw will take place on Friday 31 January 2025. It will take place shortly after the Champions League draw, so it is expected to be around midday, 12pm GMT.

Atalanta won last season’s Europe League final (Getty Images)

How does the Europa League draw work?

The teams that finished between ninth and 16th in the league standings will be seeded for the play-offs draw, and they will each be drawn against an unseeded team that finished between 17th and 24th in the table.

The seeded team will have the slight advantage of playing the second leg at home.

Teams will be paired together in the draw, so the two sides who finished ninth and 10th will be drawn against either the 23rd or 24th placed sides; the teams who finished 11th and 12th will be drawn against either the 21st or 22nd-placed sides, and so on.

The eight winners from the play-offs will meet the top eight from the league phase in the last-16, where straight knockout rounds will run all the way to the final.

When will the Europa League play-off matches be played?

The Europa League play-offs will take place over two legs on 13 and 20 February 2025.

Atletic Bilbao’s San Mames Stadium will host this season’s Europa League final

Atletic Bilbao’s San Mames Stadium will host this season’s Europa League final (Getty Images)

Who has qualified for the Europa League knockouts?

Top eight through to last-16; 9-24 in play-offs

  1. Lazio
  2. Athletic Club
  3. Manchester United
  4. Tottenham Hotspur
  5. Eintracht Frankfurt
  6. Lyon
  7. Olympiacos
  8. Rangers
  9. Bodo/Glimt
  10. Anderlecht
  11. FCSB
  12. Ajax
  13. Real Sociedad
  14. Galatasaray
  15. Roma
  16. Viktoria Plzen
  17. Ferencvaros
  18. Porto
  19. AZ Alkmaar
  20. Midtjylland
  21. Union SG
  22. PAOK
  23. Twente
  24. Fenerbahce

Who can draw who in play-offs?

Bodo/Glimt / Anderlecht v Twente / Fenerbahce

FSCB / Ajax v Union SG / PAOK

Sociedad / Galatasaray v AZ / Midtylland

Roma / Viktoria Plzen v Ferencvaros / Porto

When is the Europa League knockout phase draw?

The draw for the last-16 and subsequent rounds will take place on 21 February 2025, after the play-offs have concluded.

Europa League round dates

Knockout phase play-offs: 13 & 20 February 2025

Round of 16: 6 & 13 March 2025

Quarter-finals: 10 & 17 April 2025

Semi-finals: 1 & 8 May 2025

Where and when is the Europa League final?

The final will be held at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao on 21 May 2025.

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