New UEFA Europa League Format Explained: 2024-25 Season

The 2024-25 UEFA Europa League introduces a new league-phase format, similar to changes in the UEFA Champions League. With 36 teams competing, the new structure offers more games, excitement, and variety for football fans. Here’s a detailed look at how the new format works, the draw results, match schedules, and key dates.

New Format Overview

The most significant change for this season is the replacement of the traditional group stage with a league phase. Here’s how it works:

• 36 teams compete, up from 32 in past editions.
• Each team plays eight matches: four at home and four away, against eight different teams.
• Teams are divided into four pots based on UEFA coefficient rankings. Each team plays against two teams from each pot, ensuring a mix of strong and weaker opponents.

Qualification Rules

• The top 8 teams after the league phase automatically qualify for the Round of 16.
• Teams finishing between 9th and 24th will enter a knockout playoff to reach the Round of 16.
• Teams finishing between 25th and 36th will be eliminated from the tournament and will not play in any further European competitions for the 2024-25 season.

Europa League Match Schedule

Matchday 1

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

• 12:45 PM: AZ Alkmaar vs Elfsborg
• 12:45 PM: Bodo/Glimt vs Porto
• 3:00 PM: Galatasaray vs PAOK
• 3:00 PM: Midtjylland vs Hoffenheim
• 3:00 PM: Manchester United vs Twente
• 3:00 PM: Sporting Lisbon vs Dynamo Kiev
• 3:00 PM: Ludogorets Razgrad vs Slavia Prague
• 3:00 PM: Nice vs Real Sociedad
• 3:00 PM: Anderlecht vs Ferencvaros

Thursday, September 26, 2024

• 12:45 PM: Fenerbahce vs Union Saint-Gilloise
• 12:45 PM: Malmo vs Rangers
• 3:00 PM: Braga vs Maccabi Tel-Aviv
• 3:00 PM: Eintracht Frankfurt vs Viktoria Plzen
• 3:00 PM: AS Roma vs Athletic Bilbao
• 3:00 PM: FCSB vs RFS
• 3:00 PM: Ajax vs Besiktas
• 3:00 PM: Tottenham Hotspur vs Qarabag
• 3:00 PM: Lyon vs Olympiacos

Matchday 2

Wednesday, October 3, 2024

• 12:45 PM: Maccabi Tel-Aviv vs Midtjylland
• 12:45 PM: Real Sociedad vs Anderlecht
• 12:45 PM: Olympiacos vs Braga
• 12:45 PM: Hoffenheim vs Dynamo Kiev
• 12:45 PM: Qarabag vs Malmo
• 12:45 PM: Lazio vs Nice
• 12:45 PM: RFS vs Galatasaray
• 12:45 PM: Slavia Prague vs Ajax
• 12:45 PM: Ferencvaros vs Tottenham Hotspur

Thursday, October 4, 2024

• 3:00 PM: Elfsborg vs Roma
• 3:00 PM: Porto vs Manchester United
• 3:00 PM: Athletic Bilbao vs AZ Alkmaar
• 3:00 PM: Viktoria Plzen vs Ludogorets Razgrad
• 3:00 PM: Rangers vs Lyon
• 3:00 PM: Twente vs Fenerbahce
• 3:00 PM: Besiktas vs Eintracht Frankfurt
• 3:00 PM: PAOK vs FCSB
• 3:00 PM: Union Saint-Gilloise vs Bodo/Glimt

Europa League Knockout Stages

An additional knockout round has been added due to the expanded league phase:

• Knockout 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
• Final: May 21, 2025, at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, Spain

Key Matchups for Premier League Clubs

Manchester United’s Opponents

• Rangers (H)
• Porto (A)
• PAOK (H)
• Fenerbahce (A)
• Bodo/Glimt (H)
• Viktoria Plzen (A)
• Twente (H)
• FCSB (A)

Tottenham Hotspur’s Opponents

• Roma (H)
• Rangers (A)
• AZ Alkmaar (H)
• Ferencvaros (A)
• Qarabag (H)
• Galatasaray (A)
• Elfsborg (H)
• Hoffenheim (A)

Conclusion

The new league-phase format of the UEFA Europa League promises an exciting and diverse competition, with more teams, more matches, and more unpredictability. As Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and other clubs aim for European glory and a spot in the Champions League, the stakes are higher than ever before. Fans can expect thrilling matchups from the group stages to the final in Bilbao on May 21, 2025.

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