Europa League Playoffs: Everything You Need To Know About New UEL Format, Playoff Draw, List of Teams and Live Streaming Information
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Europa League Playoffs: Everything You Need To Know About New UEL Format, Playoff Draw, List of Teams and Live Streaming Information

Following the conclusion of Europa League ‘league phase,’ the knockout playoff round of the revamped Europa League is upon us. But let’s be honest – the new format has left plenty of fans scratching their heads. If you’re one of them, don’t worry because we’ve got you covered. Here’s a breakdown of how the new UEL format works and the teams which will be involved.

Which clubs have to play the two-legged playoffs?  

Under the new Europa League format, the top-eight teams from the league phase get a free pass straight into the Round of 16, skipping the knockout playoff round altogether. This season, that exclusive club includes Lazio, Athletic Bilbao, Manchester United, Spurs, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lyon, Olympiakos, and Rangers—all of whom have secured their spots in the Last 16.  

However, for teams finishing between 9th and 24th, the road to the knockout stage is a bit trickier. They will have to battle it out in a two-legged playoff, with the winners booking their place in the Last 16. To add another layer of strategy, the teams ranked 9th to 16th are considered “seeded”, while those placed 17th to 24th are “unseeded”. What’s the advantage of being seeded? They will get to play the crucial second leg at home, which could make all the difference in securing a spot in the next round. 

Seeded Teams 

  • Bodo/Glimt (9th) 
  • Anderlecht (10th) 
  • FCSB (11th)  
  • Ajax (12th)  
  • Real Sociedad (13th)  
  • Galatasaray (14th)  
  • Roma (15th)  
  • Viktoria Plzeň (16th) 

Unseeded Teams 

  • Ferencváros (17th)  
  • Porto (18th)  
  • AZ Alkmaar (19th)  
  • Midtjylland (20th)  
  • Union SG (21st)  
  • PAOK (22nd)  
  • Twente (23rd)  
  • Fenerbahçe (24th) 

Line-up of the draw for the Europa League playoffs 

Bodo-Glimt/Anderlecht vs Twente/Fenerbahce 

FCSB/Ajax vs Union SG/PAOK 

Real Sociedad/Galatasaray vs AZ Alkmaar/Midtjylland 

Roma/Viktoria Plzeň vs Ferencváros / Porto 

How the Europa League Playoff Draw Works? 

Eight designated bowls hold the names of both seeded and unseeded teams, placed in pairs according to their league phase rankings. These pairings determine which teams could potentially face off in the upcoming two-legged tie.  

The draw kicks off with the unseeded teams. One team from each pairing is drawn first and assigned a specific pre-determined spot in the bracket, starting with the lowest-ranked pairing (teams placed 23rd and 24th) and working up to those ranked 17th and 18th. The first team drawn is placed in its reserved slot on the silver side of the bracket, while its paired team automatically moves to the orange side.  

Once all unseeded teams have been placed, the focus shifts to the seeded sides, following the same pattern but in reverse order. The process begins with the teams ranked 15th and 16th and continues until it reaches the highest-ranked pairing of 9th and 10th, completing the lineup for the knockout round play-offs. 

Where to watch Europa League playoffs draw LIVE? 

The Europa League knockout round play-off draw will be streamed LIVE on UEFA.com. The draw is scheduled to take place on 31st January. However, the Europa League draw will take place after the Champions League playoff draw which is scheduled for 4:30 PM IST from the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland. For fans in India, you can catch the draw live on Sony LIV as well.  

When do the knockout phase play-off games take place?  

The knockout phase play-offs are played over the course of two weeks:  

  • First legs: 13th February 2025  
  • Second legs: 20th February 2025 

Also Read: Champions League Playoffs: Everything You Need To Know About New UCL Format, 2024-25 Playoff Draw, List of Teams and Live Streaming Information

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