Europa League and Conference League Draws: Seven British Clubs Learn Their Opponents

Upcoming Draws for Europa League and Conference League

Excitement is in the air as seven British clubs, including renowned teams like Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea, and Rangers, are set to learn their opponents in the prestigious Europa League and Conference League league phase draws today.

Schedule for the Draws

The Europa League league phase draw, featuring teams such as Man Utd, Spurs, and Rangers, kicks off at 12 PM UK time. Following that, the Conference League draw, which includes Chelsea, Hearts, and Welsh club The New Saints, along with Northern Irish side Larne, is scheduled to begin at 1:30 PM UK time.

Changes in Format

This season marks a significant transformation in both leagues, moving from the traditional group stage format to an innovative single league phase that embraces all participating teams.

• In the Europa League, each club will play a minimum of eight league-stage games against eight different opponents, including four home and four away matches. This is an upgrade from the previous format, which allowed only six matches against three teams.
• For the Conference League, each team will face six distinct opponents, split into three home and three away games.

Furthermore, the top eight teams from the league phase will automatically qualify for the knockout stages, while those finishing between ninth and twenty-fourth will compete in two-legged play-offs for a last-16 spot. Teams ranked from twenty-five to thirty-six will be eliminated from all competitions.

Teams Participating in the Draws

Europa League Draw Pots

• 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 Draw Pots

• 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.

Matchups and Restrictions

In the league phase, teams will not be able to face clubs from their own country, and there is a restriction that allows a maximum of two opponents from the same nation.

Fixture Dates Notification

Fans can look forward to the finalized fixture list on Saturday, August 31. Here are the important matchdays for both leagues:

Europa League Matchdays

• 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 Matchdays

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

Key Dates to Note

Mark your calendars for the following key dates:

• Europa League Final: May 21, 2025, at Estadio de San Mames, Bilbao.
• Conference League Final: May 28, 2025, at Stadion Wroclaw, Poland.
• Knockout Round Play-offs: February 13 & 20, 2025.
• Round of 16: March 6 & 13, 2025.
• Quarter-finals: April 10 & 17, 2025.
• Semi-finals: May 1 & 8, 2025.

Stay tuned for the draws and get ready to cheer for your favorite teams as they embark on this exciting journey in the Europa League and Conference League!