Europa League and Conference League 2024/25 Draws: Key Dates and Teams to Watch

2024/25 UEFA Europa League and Conference League Group-Stage Draw: Key Details

The anticipation is building as fans gear up for the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League and Conference League group-stage draws, where prestigious teams like Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea, and Rangers will discover their opponents. Let's delve into the essential details regarding the draw, participating teams, and competition format changes.

When is the Draw?

The draw for the group stages will occur on August 30, 2024, at 12 PM BST in the iconic city of Monaco.

Participating Teams in the Draws

This year's Europa League will see a mix of automatically qualified teams based on their league positions and those who have navigated through playoff rounds:

• Europa League
  • Pot One: AS Roma, Manchester United, Porto, Ajax, Rangers, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lazio, Tottenham, Slavia Prague
  • Pot Two: Real Sociedad, AZ Alkmaar, Braga, Olympiakos, Lyon, PAOK, Fenerbahce, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Ferencvaros
  • Pot Three: Qarabag, Galatasaray, Viktoria Plzen, Bodo/Glimt, Union SG, Dynamo Kyiv, Ludogorets, Midtjylland, Malmo
  • Pot Four: Athletic Club, Hoffenheim, Nice, Anderlecht, Twente, Besiktas, FK RFS, Steaua Bucharest, Elfsborg
• Conference League
  • Pot One: Chelsea, Copenhagen, Gent, Fiorentina, LASK, Real Betis
  • Pot Two: Istanbul Basaksehir, Molde, Legia Warsaw, Heidenheim, Djurgarden, APOEL Nicosia
  • Pot Three: Rapid Vienna, Omonia Nicosia, HJK Helsinki, Vitoria, Astana, Olimpija Ljubljana
  • Pot Four: Cercle Brugge, Shamrock Rovers, The New Saints, Lugano, Mlada Boleslav, Hearts
  • Pot Five: Petrocub, St Gallen, Panathinaikos, TSC Backa Topola, Borac Banja Luka, Jagiellonia
  • Pot Six: Celje, Larne, Dinamo Minsk, Pafos, Vikingur Reykjavik, Noah

Recent Results Leading to the Draws

Recent matches have determined the final teams entering the group stages:

• Chelsea found their way into the Conference League group stages with a thrilling 3-2 aggregate victory despite a loss in the second leg against Servette.
• Hearts missed their chance at the Europa League, losing 2-0 on aggregate to Viktoria Plzen, ensuring their transition into the Conference League.
• For the first time, teams from Northern Ireland and Wales will participate in the league stage, with Larne and The New Saints claiming their spots, respectively.

Understanding Changes in the Tournament Structure

Significant changes have been implemented in the tournament format for both the Europa League and Conference League:

• The number of teams has been expanded from 32 to 36.
• The traditional group stage has transitioned to a single league phase, involving all participating teams.
• Each club in the Europa League will now play a minimum of eight league-stage games against different opponents, while Conference League teams will face six.
• The top eight teams in the league will automatically qualify for the knockout stages, while those in positions 9 to 24 will vie for the remaining spots through playoffs.

Group Stage Match Days

Mark your calendars for the key matchdays in both leagues:

Europa League

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

Conference League

• Matchday 1: October 3
• Matchday 2: October 24
• Matchday 3: November 7
• Matchday 4: November 28
• Matchday 5: December 12
• Matchday 6: December 19

Final Dates to Remember

• Europa League Final: May 21, 2025 - Estadio de San Mames, Bilbao
• Conference League Final: May 28, 2025 - Stadion Wroclaw, Poland

Fans are eagerly looking forward to the draw and the subsequent matches, marking another exciting chapter in European football. Stay tuned as we bring you updates and analyses as the season progresses!