With the arrival of another season of European football, we will once again have another edition of the UEFA Europa League, a traditional competition for midfielders on the Old Continent. And this time, with a big new feature: A completely different competition format, which will have more games and promises greater technical balance between the participants.
Unlike previous editions, clubs will play more games in the 1st phase, going from 6 to 8. Furthermore, the number of participants in the league phase has also increased, going from 32 to 36.
With the draw already carried out, we will have a greater number of games between the teams considered favorites for the competition title. With the increase in matches, UEFA intends to have greater revenue from sponsorships and, mainly, an increase in revenue from broadcasting rights quotas.
UEFA Europa League will have a new format. (Photographer: Disclosure / UEFA)
And the complete calendar of games for the qualifying phase has already been defined and officially released by UEFA. Therefore, check below the schedule, dates and details of the new competition format.
UEFA Europa League: See the qualifying round fixtures
1st round (September 25th and 26th, 2024)
DATE TIME GAME
25/09 (quarter-feira) 13h45 AZ Alkmaar 3×2 Elfsborg
25/09 (Wednesday) 1:45 pm Bodo / Glint 3×2 Porto
25/09 (Wednesday) 4pm Galatasaray 3×1 PAOK
25/09 (quarter-feira) 16h Midtjylland 1×1 Hoffenheim
25/09 (Wednesday) 4pm Manchester United 1×1 Twente
25/09 (Wednesday) 4pm Dynamo Kiev 0x3 Lazio
25/09 (Wednesday) 16h Ludogorets 0x2 Slavia Prague
25/09 (Wednesday) 4pm Nice 1×1 Real Sociedad
25/09 (quarta-feira) 16:00 Anderlecht 2×1 Ferencváros
26/09 (Thursday) 1:45 pm Fenerbahçe 2×1 Union St. Gallese
26/09 (Thursday) 1:45 pm Malmö 0x2 Rangers
26/09 (Thursday) 4pm Braga 2×1 Maccabi Tel-Aviv
26/09 (Thursday) 4pm Eintracht Frankfurt 3×3 Viktoria Plzen
26/09 (Thursday) 4pm Rome 1×1 Athletic Club Bilbao
26/09 (Thursday) 4pm Steaua Bucuresti 4×1 Rigas FC
26/09 (Thursday) 4pm Ajax 4×0 Besiktas
26/09 (Thursday) 4pm Tottenham 3×0 Qarabag
26/09 (Thursday) 4pm Lyon 2×0 Olympiacos
2nd round (October 3, 2024)
DATE TIME GAME TRANSMISSION
03/10 (quinta-feira) 13h45 Maccabi Tel-Aviv x Midtjylland
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 1:45 pm Real Sociedad x Anderlecht
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 1:45 pm Olympiacos x Braga
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 1:45 pm Hoffenheim x Dynamo Kiev
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 13h45 Karabag x Malmö
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 1:45 pm Lazio x Nice
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 1:45 pm Rigas FC x Galatasaray
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 13h45 Slavia Prague x Ajax
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (quinta-feira) 1:45 p.m. Ferencváros x Tottenham
CAZÉ TV
03/10 (Thursday) 4pm Elfsborg x Roma
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 4pm Porto x Manchester United
CAZÉ TV / BAND
03/10 (Thursday) 16h Athletic Club de Bilbao x AZ Alkmaar
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 16h Viktoria Plzen x Ludogorets
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 4pm Rangers x Lyon
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 4pm Twente x Fenerbahçe
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 4pm Besiktas x Eintracht Frankfurt
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 4pm PAOK x Steaua Bucharest
NO TRANSMISSION
03/10 (Thursday) 4pm Union St. Gallesse x Bodo / Glint
NO TRANSMISSION
3rd round (October 23 and 24, 2024)
DATE TIME GAME
10/23 (Wednesday) 11:30 am Braga x Bodo / Glint
10/23 (Wednesday) 11:30 am Galatasaray x Elfsborg
10/24 (Thursday) 1:45 pm Eintracht Frankfurt x Rigas FC
10/24 (Thursday) 1:45 pm Roma x Dynamo Kiev
24/10 (Wednesday) 1:45 pm Midtylland x Union St. Gallesse
10/24 (Thursday) 1:45pm Qarabag x Ajax
10/24 (Thursday) 1:45 pm Maccabi Tel-Aviv x Real Sociedad
10/24 (Thursday) 1:45pm PAOK x Victoria Plzen
24/10 (quinta-feira) 1:45 p.m. Ferencváros x Nice
10/24 (Thursday) 4pm Fenerbahçe x Manchester United
10/24 (Thursday) 4pm Tottenham x AZ Alkmaar
24/10 (Thursday) 16h Lyon x Besiktas
10/24 (Thursday) 4pm Anderlecht x Ludogorets
10/24 (Thursday) 4pm Athletic Club de Bilbao x Slavia Praha
10/24 (Thursday) 4pm Malmö x Olympiacos
10/24 (Thursday) 4pm Porto x Hoffenheim
10/24 (Thursday) 4pm Twente x Lazio
10/24 (Thursday) 4pm Rangers x Steaua Bucharest
4th round (November 6th and 7th, 2024)
DATE TIME GAME
06/11 (Wednesday) 12:30 pm Besiktas x Malmö
07/11 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Ludogorets x Athletic Club de Bilbao
07/11 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Union St. Gallesse x Roma
07/11 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Steaua Bucuresti x Midtylland
07/11 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Olympiacos x Rangers
07/11 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Galatasaray x Tottenham
07/11 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Eintracht Frankfurt x Slavia Praha
07/11 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Nice x Twente
07/11 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Bodo / Glint x Qarabag
07/11 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Elfsborg x Braga
07/11 (Thursday) 5pm Hoffenheim x Lyon
07/11 (Thursday) 5pm Lazio x Porto
07/11 (quinta-feira) 17h AZ Alkmaar x Fenerbahçe
07/11 (Thursday) 17h Dynamo of Kiev x Ferencvaros
07/11 (Thursday) 5pm Manchester United x PAOK
07/11 (Thursday) 5pm Ajax x Maccabi Tel-Aviv
07/11 (Thursday) 5pm Viktoria Plzen x Real Sociedad
07/11 (Thursday) 5pm Rigas FC x Anderlecht
5th round (November 28, 2024)
DATE TIME GAME
11/28 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Besiktas x Maccabi Tel-Aviv
11/28 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Anderlecht x Porto
11/28 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Dynamo Kiev x Viktoria Plzen
11/28 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Athletic Club de Bilbao x Elfsborg
11/28 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Lazio x Ludogorets
28/11 (Thursday) 14h45 Rigas FC x PAOK
11/28 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Qarabag x Lyon
28/11 (quinta-feira) 14h45 AZ Alkmaar x Galatasaray
28/11 (quinta-feira) 5 p.m. Ferencváros x Malmö
11/28 (Thursday) 5pm Real Sociedad x Ajax
28/11 (Thursday) 5pm Midtylland x Eintracht Frankfurt
11/28 (Thursday) 5pm Braga x Hoffenheim
11/28 (Thursday) 5pm Slavia Praha x Fenerbahçe
11/28 (Thursday) 5pm Steaua Bucuresti x Olympiacos
11/28 (Thursday) 5pm Manchester United x Bodo / Glint
11/28 (Thursday) 5pm Nice x Rangers
11/28 (Thursday) 5pm Twente x Union St. Gallesse
11/28 (Thursday) 5pm Tottenham x Roma
6th round (December 11th and 12th, 2024)
DATE TIME GAME
11/12 (Wednesday) 12:30 pm Fenerbahçe x Athletic Club de Bilbao
12/12 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Roma x Braga
12/12 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Hoffenheim x Steaua Bucharest
12/12 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Viktoria Plzen x Manchester United
12/12 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Malmö x Galatasaray
12/12 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Union St. Gallesse x Nice
12/12 (quinta-feira) 14h45 PAOK x Ferencváros
12/12 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Olympiacos x Twente
12/12 (Thursday) 14h45 Ludogorets x AZ Alkmaar
12/12 (Thursday) 5pm Bodo / Glint x Besiktas
12/12 (Thursday) 5pm Porto x Midtyjlland
12/12 (Thursday) 5pm Maccabi Tel-Aviv x Rigas FC
12/12 (Thursday) 5pm Ajax x Lazio
12/12 (Thursday) 5pm Elfsborg x Qarabag
12/12 (Thursday) 5pm Slavia Praha x Anderlecht
12/12 (Thursday) 5pm Rangers x Tottenham
12/12 (Thursday) 5pm Real Sociedad x Dynamo Kiev
12/12 (Thursday) 5pm Lyon x Eintracht Frankfurt
7th round (January 21, 22 and 23, 2025)
DATE TIME GAME
21/01 (Tuesday) 12:30 pm Galatasaray x Dynamo Kiev
22/01 (Wednesday) 12:30 pm Besiktas x Athletic Club de Bilbao
01/23 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Bodo / Glint x Maccabi Tel-Aviv
23/01 (Thursday) 14h45 AZ Alkmaar x Rome
23/01 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Hoffenheim x Tottenham
01/23 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Porto x Olympiacos
23/01 (quinta-feira) 14h45 Fenerbahçe x Lyon
23/01 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Qarabag x Steaua Bucharest
01/23 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Viktoria Plzen x Anderlecht
23/01 (Thursday) 2:45 pm Malmö x Twente
23/01 (Thursday) 5pm Lazio x Real Sociedad
01/23 (Thursday) 5pm Union St. Gallesse x Braga
01/23 (Thursday) 5pm Elfsborg x Nice
23/01 (Thursday) 5pm Ludogorets x Midtylland
23/01 (quinta-feira) 17h Eintracht Frankfurt x Ferencváros
01/23 (Thursday) 5pm Rigas FC x Ajax
23/01 (Thursday) 17h PAOK x Slavia Prague
23/01 (Thursday) 5pm Manchester United x Rangers
8th round (January 30, 2025)
DATE TIME GAME
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Twente x Besiktas
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Real Sociedad x PAOK
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Steaua Bucuresti x Manchester United
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Nice x Bodo / Glint
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Olympiacos x Qarabag
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Dynamo Kiev x Rigas FC
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Tottenham x Elfsborg
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Midtylland x Fenerbahçe
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Maccabi Tel-Aviv x Porto
30/01 (Thursday) 17h Slavia Prague x Malmö
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Roma x Eintracht Frankfurt
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Ajax x Galatasaray
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Lyon x Ludogorets
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Athletic Club de Bilbao x Viktoria Plzen
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Anderlecht x Hoffenheim
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Braga x Lazio
01/30 (Thursday) 5pm Rangers x Union St. Gallesse
30/01 (quinta-feira) 17h Ferencváros x AZ Alkmaar
New UEFA Europa League format
After the possibility of creating a new continental league, the Club Super League, UEFA negotiated with the European football elite a new format for the Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Conference League. Now, the objective is to have more games between teams of the same technical level.
During the qualifying phase, each team will have 8 duels, 4 as home team and 4 as visitor. The opponents and hosts were drawn using software that respected the following criteria:
- 2 opponents from each pot (defined by UEFA ranking);
- Maximum of 2 teams from the same country;
- Not facing national opponents
The classification has also changed. Unlike previous years, where there were 8 groups of 4 teams each, with the best scorer advancing to the round of 16 and the 2nd placed team competing in a playoff against a 3rd placed team in the Champions League groups, from this season onwards there will be only one table. classification.
The 36 teams will compete in straight points. At the end of the 8 rounds, the tournament will progress as follows:
- From 1st to 8th place: Direct classification for the round of 16;
- From 9th to 24th place: They compete in a playoff in round-trip games;
In this new format, there will be no places for the UEFA Conference League. Therefore, from 25th to 36th place, teams will be directly eliminated from the tournament.
From the round of 16 onwards, the competition follows the traditional format: Round-trip clashes, defined by draw, until the final in a single game. This season, the stage for the decision will be the San Mamés Stadium, home of Athletic Club de Bilbao.
San Mamés, stadium of Athletic Club de Bilbao. (Photo: Reproduction)
The dates for all phases of the UEFA Europa League are established as follows:
- 1st round of the league stage: September 25th and 26th, 2024
- 2nd round of the league stage: October 3, 2024
- 3rd round of the league stage: October 23 and 24, 2024
- 4th round of the league stage: November 6th and 7th, 2024
- 5th round of the league stage: November 28, 2024
- 6th round of the league stage: December 11th and 12th, 2024
- 7th round of the league stage: January 21, 22 and 23, 2025
- 8th round of the league stage: January 30, 2025
- Playoffs: February 13, 2025 (departure) / February 20, 2025 (return)
- Round of 16: March 6, 2025 (departure) / March 13, 2025 (return)
- Quarterfinals: April 10, 2025 (one way) / April 17, 2025 (back)
- Semifinal: May 1, 2025 (departure) / May 8, 2025 (return)
- Final: May 21, 2025
