Later this week, Manchester United will find out their group-stage opponents in the upcoming Europa League season. As the final play-off matches for both the Europa League and Champions League conclude, the final 36 teams will be confirmed. These teams will then be placed into a new league format, part of the revamped competition structure.
Historically, Manchester United have never won this competition. However, after a year’s absence, they are considered one of the top contenders to go all the way this season. Their chances of progressing to the knockout stages could be boosted by the absence of any teams demoted from the Champions League.
To advance, Manchester United will first need to navigate eight group-stage matches, split evenly between home and away fixtures. These games will feature a mixture of well-known European sides and lesser-known teams.
For the group stage draw, Manchester United will be placed in Pot 1, securing a top seed due to their high UEFA coefficient ranking – the second highest in the tournament. This means they will be drawn alongside teams from different pots, but they cannot face another English team, such as Tottenham, and are limited to playing a maximum of two teams from any other single nation.
Potential opponents include familiar clubs like Roma, Porto, Rangers, and Eintracht Frankfurt from Pot 1, and Olympiacos or Lyon from Pot 2. They may also face teams from lower pots, such as Malmo, Athletic Club, and Hoffenheim. There are also a number of clubs whose pot placement is yet to be determined, like Fenerbahce, Dynamo Kyiv, Ajax, and Galatasaray.
The Europa League group stage matches are scheduled across several months, with the first matchday on 25-26 September 2024, followed by subsequent matches through to the end of January 2025. Specific timings for these matches will be confirmed by UEFA shortly.
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