The Europa League will see its new play-offs format in action for the first time in February, to decide which teams enter the last-16 knockout round.

The top eight teams in the final Europa League league-phase table are automatically through to the last-16, and they will be joined by the winners of the play-offs after a set of eight two-legged ties between those clubs who finished from ninth to 24th in the league standings.

There are three British sides in the Europa League, with Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers all hoping to go far in the competition, having all qualified for the last-16 by finishing the league phase in the top eight spots.

Here is all you need to know about the Europa League play-offs draw.

When is the Europa League draw?

The Europa League play-offs draw will take place on Friday 31 January 2025. It will take place shortly after the Champions League draw, so it is expected to be around midday, 12pm GMT.

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How does the Europa League draw work?

The teams that finished between ninth and 16th in the league standings will be seeded for the play-offs draw, and they will each be drawn against an unseeded team that finished between 17th and 24th in the table.

The seeded team will have the slight advantage of playing the second leg at home.

Teams will be paired together in the draw, so the two sides who finished ninth and 10th will be drawn against either the 23rd or 24th placed sides; the teams who finished 11th and 12th will be drawn against either the 21st or 22nd-placed sides, and so on.

The eight winners from the play-offs will meet the top eight from the league phase in the last-16, where straight knockout rounds will run all the way to the final.

Who has qualified for the Europa League last-16?

The top eight in the league standings are automatically through to the round of 16.

Who can draw who in play-offs?

As explained above, each play-off side can be drawn against one of two possible opponents.

Bodo/Glimt and Anderlecht (9th and 10th) will each play one of Twente and Fenerbahce (23rd and 24th).

FSCB and Ajax (11th and 12th) will each play one of Union SG and PAOK (21st and 22nd).

Real Sociedad and Galatasaray (13th and 14th) will each play one of AZ Alkmaar and Midtjylland (19th and 20th).

Roma and Viktoria Plzen (15th and 16th) will each play one of Ferencvaros and Porto (17th and 18th).

When will the Europa League play-off matches be played?

The Europa League play-offs will take place over two legs on 13 and 20 February 2025.

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When is the Europa League knockout phase draw?

The draw for the last-16 and subsequent rounds will take place on 21 February 2025, after the play-offs have concluded.

Which teams could face each other in the last 16?

With the group-stage positions sorted, we now know the potential ties for the last 16. Teams have again been grouped into two depending on their qualifying position and they will be drawn against the two winners from a certain section of the play-offs.

So, the teams in 1st and 2nd will face the two winners from the 15th/16th/17th/18th section of the last-16 draw, the teams who came 3rd and 4th will face the two winners from the 13th/14th/19th/20th section, and so on.

Here’s the full list of those matches:

7th/8th to play 9th/10th/23rd/24th – Olympiacos and Rangers to play Bodo-Glimt/Anderlecht/Twente/ Fenerbahce.

5th/6th to play 11th/12th/21st/22nd – Frankfurt and Lyon to play FSCB/Ajax/Union SG/PAOK.

3rd/4th to play 13th/14th/19th/20th – Manchester United and Tottenham to play Sociedad/Galatasaray/AZ/Midtjylland.

1st/2nd to play 15th/16th/17th/18th – Lazio and Athletic Club to play Roma/Viktoria Plzen/Ferencvaros/Porto.

Europa League round dates

Knockout phase play-offs: 13 & 20 February 2025

Round of 16: 6 & 13 March 2025

Quarter-finals: 10 & 17 April 2025

Semi-finals: 1 & 8 May 2025

Where and when is the Europa League final?

The final will be held at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao on 21 May 2025.

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