Europa League 2024/2025 – Everything Manchester United fans NEED to know

The 2024/25 Europa League system will see Manchester United compete in a tournament that has had several major changes made by UEFA.

Having secured Europa League football after beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday, Manchester United will be entering a competition that is noticeably different from the last time they participated.

With several major changes to the Europa League this season, here’s everything fans of Erik ten Hag’s side will need to know.

What has changed in the Europa League?

Firstly, the group stage system is gone. In its place, there will be a league system based on the Swiss Model.

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In this system, 36 teams will compete in a league format, with teams coming from four league stage pots. Each team will then play eight games in the league before moving on to the next stage. Where a team finishes in the league will dictate its next step in the competition.

• The teams that finish from 1st to 8th will automatically qualify for the Europa League’s Round of 16.
• The 9th—24th will be drawn against one another. Teams will compete in a two-legged home-and-away knockout tie to secure their place in the Round of 16.
• Teams that finish from 25th – 36th are knocked out of the Europa League.

After the league stage, the Round of 16 will take place the same as it had in previous years, with two teams playing each other home and away in knockout round football.

The rest of the tournament will follow that same format.

How does the draw for the Europa League league stage work?

Every team in the competition will be drawn against two teams from each of the four Europa League pots.

In the league format, teams will not play each other home and away, as opposed to the old group stage format. Instead, United will play four games at home and four games away, totalling eight games.

These eight games will each be against a different opponent, with no repeat fixtures in the league stage.

When will the league stage draw take place?

The league stage draw will happen on the 29th of August, 2024.

Manchester United’s Europa League opponents:

25 Sep: FC Twente (H)

3 Oct: Porto (A)

24 Oct: Fenerbahce (A)

7 Nov: PAOK (H)

28 Nov: Bodo/Glimt (H)

12 Dec: Viktoria Plzen (A)

23 Jan: Rangers (H)

30 Jan: Steaua Bucharest (A)

Additional key dates

• Knockout playoffs to secure a Round of 16 spot: 13th & 20th of February 2025.
• Round of 16: 6th & 13th of March 2025
• Quarter-finals: 10th & 17th of April 2025
• Semi-finals: 1st & 8th of May 2025
• Final: 21st of May 2025

Where will the final take place?

The final of next season’s Europa League competition will be in Bilbao, at Athletic Club’s San Mames stadium. Athletic’s stadium has a capacity of over 50,000 and was first opened in September 2013.

A replacement for Athletic’s old San Mames stadium, it was used to host the UEFA Women’s Champions League final at the end of the 2023/24 season.

How have Manchester United fared in the Europa League previously?

Manchester United have played in the Europa League on twelve occasions, first appearing in the 1976/77 season.

United’s time in the competition have included two appearances in the quarter-finals, one semi-final, and two finals. The Red Devils won the competition on one occasion, back in 2016/17.

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