2024-25 UEFA Europa League: New Format Announced

Major Changes Coming

The UEFA Europa League, Europe's secondary club football tournament, is set to undergo significant changes in the 2024-25 season. The tournament will now feature a new format, with the biggest change being to the group stage, which will become a single 36-team competition.

Group Stage Revamp

Previously, the 32 teams in the Europa League were divided into eight groups of four. The top two teams from each group advanced to the knockout phase. In the new format, all 36 teams will be placed in one single group. Each team will play 10 matches, five at home and five away.

The top eight teams in the single group will advance directly to the knockout phase, while the teams finishing in ninth through 24th will enter a two-legged play-off to determine the remaining eight knockout berths.

Other Changes

In addition to the changes to the group stage, the Europa League will also see some other minor changes in the 2024-25 season. The away goals rule will be abolished, and matches that are tied after 90 minutes will go into extra time and, if necessary, a penalty shoot-out.

The winner of the Europa League will continue to qualify for the following season's Champions League, but the number of teams that qualify will be reduced from four to three.

Impact on the Competition

The new format for the Europa League is expected to make the competition more competitive and exciting. The single-group stage will ensure that more teams have a chance to qualify for the knockout phase, and the abolition of the away goals rule will make matches more unpredictable.

The changes are also expected to benefit smaller clubs, who will now have a better chance of qualifying for the Europa League and making a run in the competition.

Conclusion

The new format for the Europa League is a significant step forward for the competition. The changes are expected to make the tournament more competitive and exciting, and they should also benefit smaller clubs.