Europa League 2023/24 explained: format, draw, pots, schedule, final & more

It's been seven (glorious) years since Liverpool were last in the Europa League, so we'd forgive you if you'd forgotten how it all works exactly.

Don't worry, here's everything you need to know about the Reds' Europa League 2023/24 campaign.

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What is the format of the Europa League?

After the qualifying rounds are concluded, the 32 teams are drawn into eight groups of four.

Much like the Champions League, teams in each group play each other once (home and away) and the group winners progress directly to the knockout stages round of 16. However — this is where things differ — the group runners-up face a two-legged playoff against one of the teams who drop out of the Champions League group stages. Then things continue with the last 16, quarters, semis and final.

All Europa League knockout ties are two-legged (except final) and there are no away goals. VAR is used.

Which teams have qualified for the Europa League?

So far, the following teams are confirmed for the Europa League 2023/24 group stages:

England: Liverpool, Brighton, West Ham

Spain: Villarreal, Real Betis

Italy: Atalanta, Roma

Germany: Freiburg, Bayer Leverkusen

France: Toulouse, Rennes, Marseille

Portugal: Sporting CP

Belgium: Genk

Switzerland: Servette

Austria: Sturm Graz

Serbia: TSC

The rest of the teams will be made up of those who qualify through the playoffs which take place between 10-31 August.

When is the Europa League draw?

The 2023/24 Europa League group stage draw will take place after playoffs on 1 September 2023.

What pot are Liverpool in for the draw?

There are four pots and Liverpool will be in pot 1.

The pots are decided by each team's UEFA club coefficient, which determines their quality based on historical performance. The only exception is West Ham, who are in pot 1 by virtue of winning the Europa Conference League.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Liverpool have the highest coefficient of any team currently qualified.

Who could Liverpool face in the group stage?

All the possibilities, including groups of death and ideal away days, will become known once the rest of the teams for the group stage have been confirmed and the rest of the pots decided.

The only definite possibilities currently are Real Betis (pot 2 or 3), Freiburg (pot 2, 3 or 4) and Toulouse (pot 2, 3 or 4).

While Brighton are also already conformed in one of the lower pots, teams from the same league cannot face each other in the group stage.

When do Champions League teams enter the Europa League?

The eight third-placed teams in the Champions League group stage drop down to the Europa League knockout round playoffs, which will take place after the conclusion of the Europa League group stage.

What is the Europa League schedule?

All matches are (famously) played on Thursday evenings, except the final, with kick off times at 17:45 and 20:00 UK.

Dates for the Europa League matchdays are as follows:

• Matchday 1 — 21 September
• Matchday 2 — 5 October
• Matchday 3 — 26 October
• Matchday 4 — 9 November
• Matchday 5 — 30 November
• Matchday 6 — 14 December
• Knockout round playoffs — 15 February, 22 February
• Round of 16 — 7 March, 14 March
• Quarter-finals — 11 April, 18 April
• Semi-finals — 2 May, 9 May
• Final — 22 May

Where and when will the final be played?

The Europa League final will be held at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland on 22 May, 2024.

Book your hotels now!

What do you get for winning the Europa League?

The winners of the Europa League automatically qualify for the following season’s Champions League, as well as booking a date with the Champions League winners for the Super Cup.

In addition, last season's winners Sevilla banked £7.6m for lifting the trophy, while runners up Roma earned £4m.

Have Liverpool played in the Europa League before?

You bet they have! It might have been a while but Liverpool have a decent history in Europe's second competition.

The last time the Reds turned out in the Europa League was in Jurgen Klopp's first season in 2015/16, when they lost the final to Sevilla (who else?).

How many times have Liverpool won the Europa League?

The Reds have won the Europa League (or its predecessor: the Uefa Cup) on three occasions. in 1973, 1976 and most recently in 2001.

Can Klopp's men make it four in Dublin?

What is the Europa League anthem?

Set it as your ringtone now!