Everything You Need to Know About the 2024/25 Europa League

2024-08-29 ScoreWaves Staff

A brand-new season of European football is on the horizon. And while the Champions League often takes center stage, fans shouldn't sleep on the other two tournaments—the Europa League and the Conference League.

The 2024/25 campaign will mark the 54th addition of the UEFA Europa League. Despite being the second-tier European competition, the Europa League has a rich history, with several big clubs laying their claim to the prestigious trophy. The 2024/25 season is no different, with European heavyweights like Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, Lyon, Porto, and more ready to battle it out.

However, what sets this season apart is a complete overhaul in the competition's format. UEFA has revamped the structure of all three European tournaments. So, if you're not fully up to speed on these changes, don't worry—we've got you covered! Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about the new-look Europa League.

What is the new Europa League format?

Every football fan is familiar with the classic Europa League structure, which featured a clear split between the group stage and the knockout phase. Teams would be sorted into groups of four, each playing six matches in the group stage. But the new format shakes things up significantly. Firstly, the top number of teams in the Europa League has increased from 32 to 36. Furthermore, instead of the traditional groups, teams now compete in a league phase where they face eight different opponents—four matches at home and four away. In the league phase, teams cannot face opponents from their own country and can face a maximum of two sides from the same country. During the league phase, each team's opponents will be determined by a random draw, with each team facing two opponents from each of the four pots: Pot 1, Pot 2, Pot 3, and Pot 4.

Top eight teams in the group stages would qualify straight to the knockout rounds. But teams placed from 9th to 24th will face each other in a two-legged play-off, which will determine which team qualifies for the Round of 16. As a result, only 12 teams will be knocked out after the league phase. Moreover, the teams knocked out from the league phase won’t participate in the Conference League. Similarly, teams knocked out from Champions League won’t participate in the Europa League.

The league phase will kick off in late-September and extend until late January, moving beyond the usual December conclusion. To accommodate the additional fixtures, there will be specific weeks set aside just for the Europa League, with matches scheduled on Thursdays. The draws for the League Phase will be held on 30th August, a day after the Champions League draw.

Teams who have qualified for the 2024/25 Europa League

Although the qualifying rounds for the 2024/25 Europa League are still underway, several teams have already secured their spots in the league phase of the revamped Europa League. Here’s a look at the clubs that have already qualified.