Europa League format: How will the new system work?

  • Europa League has adopted a Swiss model from the 2024/25 season
  • Group stage ditched in favour of league table
  • 36 teams taking part in this season's competition
Atalanta were victorious in the 2023/24 Europa League
Atalanta were victorious in the 2023/24 Europa League / Jean Catuffe/GettyImages
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It's all change in Europe in 2024/25, with UEFA's club competitions undergoing significant format alterations.

Much of the discourse surrounding UEFA's newly introduced 'Swiss model' has centred around the Champions League. However, its younger sibling, the Europa League, has also adopted the new system.

While the Champions League remains the top dog, there's no denying the Europa's increased prestige in recent years. Sure, Sevilla might win it every other year, but the competition typically boasts teams more than capable of competing at the continent's top table.

The introduction of a third UEFA club competition, the Conference League, in 2021 aided the Europa League from a competitive standpoint. A streamlining of participants boosted its average quality and has ensured the journey from start to finish is less arduous but still incredibly rewarding.

So, what's the 'Swiss model' all about? Here are the format changes that have been made to the 2024/25 Europa League.


2024/25 Europa League format

Following the Conference League's emergence, 32 teams made up the Europa League's group stage. From 2024/25, 36 teams qualify for what UEFA are calling a 'league stage'.

There are no more groups and a team's position in the league table will instead determine whether they progress into the knockout rounds.

Each team plays eight league stage games - four apiece home and away - in a bid to finish as high as they can in the league table. The top eight advance directly into the round of 16, with teams finishing between ninth and 24th qualifying for the knockout play-off round. The remaining teams are eliminated and do not drop into the Conference League.

The eight winners of the play-off ties will join the top eight in the last 16.

From that stage on, the usual knockout format will ensue. Two legs - home and away - up until the final in Bilbao.


How did the 2024/25 Europa League league stage draw work?

The Europa League draw took place on 30 August, with the 36 qualified teams divided into four pots of nine based on their UEFA coefficients.

Teams weren't drawn into groups of four. Instead, the draw determined their eight league stage opponents. Each team was drawn against two teams from all four pots.

The 2024/25 league stage draw provided some tantalising match-ups, with the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur discovering their opponents.


2024/25 Europa League league stage fixtures

Matchday 1

Date & kick-off time (BST)

Fixture

25/09/24 - 17:45

AZ Alkmaar vs Elfsborg

25/09/24 - 17:45

Bodo/Glimt vs Porto

25/09/24 - 20:00

Anderlecht vs Ferencvaros

25/09/24 - 20:00

Dynamo Kyiv vs Lazio

25/09/24 - 20:00

Midtjylland vs Hoffenheim

25/09/24 - 20:00

Galatasaray vs PAOK

25/09/24 - 20:00

Ludogorets vs Slavia Prague

25/09/24 - 20:00

Man Utd vs FC Twente

25/09/24 - 20:00

Nice vs Real Sociedad

26/09/24 - 17:45

Fenerbahce vs Union Saint-Gilloise

26/09/24 - 17:45

Malmo vs Rangers

26/09/24 - 20:00

Ajax vs Besiktas

26/09/24 - 20:00

Braga vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

26/09/24 - 20:00

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Viktoria Plzen

26/09/24 - 20:00

FCSB vs RFS

26/09/24 - 20:00

Lyon vs Olympiacos

26/09/24 - 20:00

Roma vs Athletic Club

26/09/24 - 20:00

Tottenham vs Qarabag


Matchday 2

Date & kick-off time (BST)

Fixture

03/10/24 - 17:45

Ferencvaros vs Tottenham

03/10/24 - 17:45

Hoffenheim vs Dynamo Kyiv

03/10/24 - 17:45

Lazio vs Nice

03/10/24 - 17:45

Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Midtjylland

03/10/24 - 17:45

Olympiacos vs Braga

03/10/24 - 17:45

Qarabag vs Malmo

03/10/24 - 17:45

Real Sociedad vs Anderlecht

03/10/24 - 17:45

RFS vs Galatasaray

03/10/24 - 17:45

Slavia Prague vs Ajax

03/10/24 - 20:00

Athletic Club vs AZ Alkmaar

03/10/24 - 20:00

Besiktas vs Eintracht Frankfurt

03/10/24 - 20:00

Elfsborg vs Roma

03/10/24 - 20:00

Porto vs Man Utd

03/10/24 - 20:00

FC Twente vs Fenerbahce

03/10/24 - 20:00

PAOK vs FCSB

03/10/24 - 20:00

Rangers vs Lyon

03/10/24 - 20:00

Union Saint-Gilloise vs Bodo/Glimt

03/10/24 - 20:00

Viktoria Plzen vs Ludogorets


Matchday 3

Date & kick-off time (BST)

Fixture

23/10/24 - 15:30

Braga vs Bodo/Glimt

23/10/24 - 15:30

Galatasaray vs Elfsborg

24/10/24 - 17:45

Eintracht Frankfurt vs RFS

24/10/24 - 17:45

Midtjylland vs Union Saint-Gilloise

24/10/24 - 17:45

Ferencvaros vs Nice

24/10/24 - 17:45

Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Real Sociedad

24/10/24 - 17:45

PAOK vs Viktoria Plzen

24/10/24 - 17:45

Qarabag vs Ajax

24/10/24 - 17:45

Roma vs Dynamo Kyiv

24/10/24 - 20:00

Anderlecht vs Ludogorets

24/10/24 - 20:00

Athletic Club vs Slavia Prague

24/10/24 - 20:00

Porto vs Hoffenheim

24/10/24 - 20:00

FC Twente vs Lazio

24/10/24 - 20:00

Fenerbahce vs Man Utd

24/10/24 - 20:00

Lyon vs Besiktas

24/10/24 - 20:00

Malmo vs Olympiacos

24/10/24 - 20:00

Rangers vs FCSB

24/10/24 - 20:00

Tottenham vs AZ Alkmaar


Matchday 4

Date & kick-off time (GMT)

Fixture

06/11/24 - 15:30

Besiktas vs Malmo

07/11/24 - 17:45

Bodo/Glimt vs Qarabag

07/11/24 - 17:45

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Slavia Prague

07/11/24 - 17:45

Elfsborg vs Braga

07/11/24 - 17:45

FCSB vs Midtjylland

07/11/24 - 17:45

Galatasaray vs Tottenham

07/11/24 - 17:45

Ludogorets vs Athletic Club

07/11/24 - 17:45

Nice vs FC Twente

07/11/24 - 17:45

Olympiacos vs Rangers

07/11/24 - 17:45

Union Saint-Gilloise vs Roma

07/11/24 - 20:00

Ajax vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

07/11/24 - 20:00

AZ Alkmaar vs Fenerbahce

07/11/24 - 20:00

Dynamo Kyiv vs Ferencvaros

07/11/24 - 20:00

Hoffenheim vs Lyon

07/11/24 - 20:00

Lazio vs Porto

07/11/24 - 20:00

Man Utd vs PAOK

07/11/24 - 20:00

RFS vs Anderlecht

07/11/24 - 20:00

Viktoria Plzen vs Real Sociedad


Matchday 5

Date & kick-off time (GMT)

Fixture

28/11/24 - 17:45

Anderlecht vs Porto

28/11/24 - 17:45

Athletic Club vs Elfsborg

28/11/24 - 17:45

AZ Alkmaar vs Galatasaray

28/11/24 - 17:45

Besiktas vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

28/11/24 - 17:45

Dynamo Kyiv vs Viktoria Plzen

28/11/24 - 17:45

Lazio vs Ludogorets

28/11/24 - 17:45

Qarabag vs Lyon

28/11/24 - 17:45

RFS vs PAOK

28/11/24 - 20:00

Braga vs Hoffenheim

28/11/24 - 20:00

FCSB vs Olympiacos

28/11/24 - 20:00

Midtjylland vs Eintracht Frankfurt

28/11/24 - 20:00

FC Twente vs Union Saint-Gilloise

28/11/24 - 20:00

Ferencvaros vs Malmo

28/11/24 - 20:00

Man Utd vs Bodo/Glimt

28/11/24 - 20:00

Nice vs Rangers

28/11/24 - 20:00

Real Sociedad vs Ajax

28/11/24 - 20:00

Slavia Prague vs Fenerbahce

28/11/24 - 20:00

Tottenham vs Roma


Matchday 6

Date & kick-off time (GMT)

Fixture

11/12/24 - 15:30

Fenerbahce vs Athletic Club

12/12/24 - 17:45

Hoffenheim vs FCSB

12/12/24 - 17:45

Ludogorets vs AZ Alkmaar

12/12/24 - 17:45

Malmo vs Galatasaray

12/12/24 - 17:45

Olympiacos vs FC Twente

12/12/24 - 17:45

PAOK vs Ferencvaros

12/12/24 - 17:45

Roma vs Braga

12/12/24 - 17:45

Union Saint-Gilloise vs Nice

12/12/24 - 17:45

Viktoria Plzen vs Man Utd

12/12/24 - 20:00

Ajax vs Lazio

12/12/24 - 20:00

Bodo/Glimt vs Besiktas

12/12/24 - 20:00

Elfsborg vs Qarabag

12/12/24 - 20:00

Porto vs Midtjylland

12/12/24 - 20:00

Lyon vs Eintracht Frankfurt

12/12/24 - 20:00

Maccabi Tel Aviv vs RFS

12/12/24 - 20:00

Rangers vs Tottenham

12/12/24 - 20:00

Real Sociedad vs Dynamo Kyiv

12/12/24 - 20:00

Slavia Prague vs Anderlecht


Matchday 7

Date & kick-off time (GMT)

Fixture

21/01/25 - 15:30

Galatasaray vs Dynamo Kyiv

22/01/25 -15:30

Besiktas vs Athletic Club

23/01/25 - 17:45

AZ Alkmaar vs Roma

23/01/25 - 17:45

Bodo/Glimt vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

23/01/25 - 17:45

Porto vs Olympiacos

23/01/25 - 17:45

Fenerbahce vs Lyon

23/01/25 - 17:45

Hoffenheim vs Tottenham

23/01/25 - 17:45

Malmo vs FC Twente

23/01/25 - 17:45

Qarabag vs FCSB

23/01/25 - 17:45

Viktoria Plzen vs Anderlecht

23/01/25 - 20:00

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Ferencvaros

23/01/25 - 20:00

Elfsborg vs Nice

23/01/25 - 20:00

Lazio vs Real Sociedad

23/01/25 - 20:00

Ludogorets vs Midtjylland

23/01/25 - 20:00

Man Utd vs Rangers

23/01/25 - 20:00

PAOK vs Slavia Prague

23/01/25 - 20:00

RFS vs Ajax

23/01/25 - 20:00

Union Saint-Gilloise vs Braga


Matchday 8

Date & kick-off time (GMT)

Fixture

30/01/25 - 20:00

Ajax vs Galatasaray

30/01/25 - 20:00

Anderlecht vs Hoffenheim

30/01/25 - 20:00

Athletic Club vs Viktoria Plzen

30/01/25 - 20:00

Braga vs Lazio

30/01/25 - 20:00

Dynamo Kyiv vs RFS

30/01/25 - 20:00

FCSB vs Man Utd

30/01/25 - 20:00

Midtjylland vs Fenerbahce

30/01/25 - 20:00

FC Twente vs Besiktas

30/01/25 - 20:00

Ferencvaros vs AZ Alkmaar

30/01/25 - 20:00

Lyon vs Ludogorets

30/01/25 - 20:00

Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Porto

30/01/25 - 20:00

Nice vs Bodo/Glimt

30/01/25 - 20:00

Olympiacos vs Qarabag

30/01/25 - 20:00

Rangers vs Union Saint-Gilloise

30/01/25 - 20:00

Real Sociedad vs PAOK

30/01/25 - 20:00

Roma vs Eintracht Frankfurt

30/01/25 - 20:00

Slavia Prague vs Malmo

30/01/25 - 20:00

Tottenham vs Elfsborg


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