UEFA has announced what the qualifying round for the Europa League will be once the group stage that is currently underway is over. The draw for the knockout play-off phase will take place on January 31, 2025, a round-trip phase will be played on February 13 and 20. The grand final, as it is known, will take place in San Mamés on May 21. The continental football organization itself asks and answers various questions related to the current edition of this tournament.
It should be noted, in principle, that the first eight teams classified in the group stage (league stage) currently playing are automatically qualified for the round of 16, which teams can face another team from the same national federation in the eliminatory play-offs and that clubs can also face rivals with whom they cross paths in the league stage.
When is it celebrated? What teams are participating? When are the games? Everything you need to know about the draw for the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League knockout play-offs.
The draw for the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League knockout play-offs will take place on Friday 31 January.
While the top eight finishers in the league stage automatically qualify for the round of 16, teams finishing between ninth and twenty-fourth place will begin the knockout phase. These teams will play two-legged play-offs to secure a place in the round of 16.
Starting with the knockout play-off phase, the tournament is divided into a bracket. Teams finishing the league stage between 9th and 16th place will be drawn in the first draw of the knockout stage and will face a team placed between 17th and 24th. In principle, the seeded team will play the second leg at home.
The possible rivals are also predetermined by the pairings of the teams’ final positions in the league stage. For example, teams finishing ninth and tenth will face teams finishing 23rd or 24th; teams finishing 11th or 12th will face teams finishing 21st or 22nd, and so on.
The eight teams that win the knockout play-off phase will advance to the round of 16.
Which teams are in the draw for the Europa League knockout play-offs?
The teams that finished between ninth and twenty-fourth place in the inaugural phase of the league will compete in a two-legged eliminatory play-off to earn a place in the round of 16 of the competition.
How can I see the draw?
The draw will be broadcast live via streaming on UEFA.com.
Where is the draw for the Europa League knockout play-offs?
The draw takes place at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.
How does drawing work?
Eight pots were prepared for the draw, where balls containing the names of the seeded and unseeded teams were placed in the corresponding marked pots according to league stage classification.
The draw begins with the unseeded teams, assigning each team a seeded pair one of the relevant predetermined group positions, starting with the teams ranked 23/24 and ending with those ranked 23/24th.
A ball is removed from the container containing the two relevant team groups (ie, the 23rd and 24th group teams) and opened to reveal the team. The first piece of equipment retrieved from this container is placed in the designated area on the silver side of the box. The other unseeded team in the pairing will be drawn and displayed and assigned the corresponding reserved spot on the orange side of the table.
The same procedure is carried out with the other unseeded teams.
Once all unseeded team pairings have been drawn and assigned to an appropriate draw position, the draw will continue with the seeded teams, starting with the 15/16 ranked pairing. The process is the same as described above for unseeded teams, where the first team is drawn from the corresponding pot assigned to the reserved spot on the silver side of the draw and the second team on the orange side.
The procedure is repeated for the remaining pairings, ending with the teams ranked 9/10 to complete the pairings for the knockout play-off round.
In principle, bones play the second leg at home.
Can teams from the same national federation play against each other in the Europa League knockout play-offs?
Teams may face another team from the same national federation in the knockout play-offs. Clubs can also face rivals they met in the league stage.
When are the knockout play-off phase matches played?
The knockout play-offs will be held over two weeks:
First legs: February 13, 2025
Rematches: February 20, 2025
UEFA will confirm the schedule, including match dates and kick-off times, on the afternoon of the draw.
In the event that matches are affected by conflicts between stadiums or cities, these will be resolved in accordance with the applicable principles established by the Club Competitions Committee.
-Dates to consider-
Draw for knockout play-off phase: January 31
Elimination play-off phase: February 13 and 20
Draws for round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals: February 21
Round of 16: March 6 and 13
Quarterfinals: April 10 and 17
Semifinals: May 1 and 8
Final: May 21 (Bilbao).
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
