Europa League draw LIVE: Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers through to last-16 as play-offs revealed
The Europa League play-off draw has been revealed as the match-ups for the new format’s first knockout round are decided.
The three British sides in this season’s Europa League – Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers – are already through to the last-16 after claiming one of the top-eight spots in the inaugural league phase, and they will have to wait for next month’s last-16 draw to find out their possible path to May’s final in Bilbao.
United and Spurs finished third and fourth in the league standings respectively, and will face one of either Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland in the last-16, while Rangers, who came eighth in the league standings, will play one of Bodo/Glimt, Anderlecht, Twente or Fenerbahce.
The play-off draw paired Galatasaray with Dutch side AZ Alkmaar and Real Sociedad with Danish outfit Midtjylland. The winners of those ties know they will face either United or Spurs in the last-16. In the section involving Rangers, Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce play Anderlecht and Twente play Bodo/Glimt.
In the other sections, Roma play Porto in perhaps the tie of the round, Ferencvaros of Hungary play Viktoria Plzen, and POAK of Greece will meet FCSB of Romania.
Europa League play-off draw LIVE: Latest updates as fixtures revealed
Europa League play-off draw revealed
Man Utd, Tottenham and Rangers finished among top eight to qualify for last-16
Play-offs will take place over two legs on 13 and 20 February
Twente vs Bodo/Glimt, and Fenerbahce vs Anderlecht
Union SG vs Ajax, and PAOK vs FSCB
Midtjylland vs Real Sociedad, and AZ Alkmaar vs Galatasaray
Roma vs Porto, and Viktoria Plzen vs Ferencvaros
When is the next Europa League draw?
12:37 , Jamie Braidwood
The full play-off bracket will be set when the next Europa League draw is conducted on Friday 21 February, which is the day after the second leg of the play-off rounds. Mark that in your diaries.
Europa League round dates
12:31 , Jamie Braidwood
Knockout phase play-offs: 13 & 20 February 2025
Round of 16: 6 & 13 March 2025
Quarter-finals: 10 & 17 April 2025
Semi-finals: 1 & 8 May 2025
Europa League play-off draw
12:27 , Jamie Braidwood
So let’s add the top-eight seeded teams.
Play-off 1: Ferencváros vs Viktoria Plzen to play Lazio or Athletic Club
Play-off 2: Twente vs Bodo/Glimt Olympiacos or Rangers
Play-off 3: Union Saint-Gilloise vs Ajax to play Eintracht Frankfurt or Lyon
Play-off 4: AZ vs Galatasaray to play Manchester United or Tottenham
Play-off 5: Midtjylland vs Real Sociedad to play Tottenham or Manchester United
Play-off 6: PAOK vs FSCB to play Lyon or Eintracht Frankfurt
Play-off 7: Fenerbahce vs Anderlecht to play Rangers or Olympiacos
Play-off 8: Porto vs Roma to play Athletic Club or Lazio
FULL Europa League play-off draw
12:21 , Jamie Braidwood
Play-off 1: Ferencváros vs Viktoria Plzen
Play-off 2: Twente vs Bodo/Glimt
Play-off 3: Union Saint-Gilloise vs Ajax
Play-off 4: AZ vs Galatasaray
Play-off 5: Midtjylland vs Real Sociedad
Play-off 6: PAOK vs FSCB
Play-off 7: Fenerbahce vs Anderlecht
Play-off 8: Porto vs Roma
Europa League
12:16 , Jamie Braidwood
We are ready to begin! We will start by drawing the unseeded teams, filling the eight play-off brackets.
Play-off 1:
Play-off 2:
Play-off 3:
Play-off 4:
Play-off 5:
Play-off 6:
Play-off 7:
Play-off 8:
How does today's Europa League draw work?
12:12 , Jamie Braidwood
The teams that finished between ninth and 16th in the league standings will be seeded for the play-offs draw, and they will each be drawn against an unseeded team that finished between 17th and 24th in the table.
The seeded team will have the slight advantage of playing the second leg at home.
Teams will be paired together in the draw, so the two sides who finished ninth and 10th will be drawn against either the 23rd or 24th placed sides; the teams who finished 11th and 12th will be drawn against either the 21st or 22nd-placed sides, and so on.
The eight winners from the play-offs will meet the top eight from the league phase in the last-16, where straight knockout rounds will run all the way to the final.
Europa League draw LIVE
12:07 , Jamie Braidwood
Here comes Giorgio Marchetti, striding onto the stage to conduct his second Uefa draw of the day. The man is in his element.
Bilbao icon and former Spain striker Aduriz will help out with the draw.
Europa League draw LIVE
12:05 , Jamie Braidwood
It was a good night for the British teams last night as Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers all won to book their place in the top-eight. Because of that, we know who they could face after progressing directly to the last-16.
Manchester United (3rd):
13th: Real Sociedad
14th: Galatasaray
19th: AZ Alkmaar
20th: Midtjylland
Tottenham (4th):
13th: Real Sociedad
14th: Galatasaray
19th: AZ Alkmaar
20th: Midtjylland
Rangers (8th):
9th: Bodo/Glimt
10th: Anderlecht
23rd: Twente
24th: Fenerbahce
Europa League draw LIVE
12:02 , Jamie Braidwood
The draw ceremony is underway in Nyon! As a reminder, here’s what will be determined by the play-off draw.
Bodo/Glimt and Anderlecht (9th and 10th) will each play one of Twente and Fenerbahce (23rd and 24th).
FSCB and Ajax (11th and 12th) will each play one of Union SG and PAOK (21st and 22nd).
Real Sociedad and Galatasaray (13th and 14th) will each play one of AZ Alkmaar and Midtjylland (19th and 20th).
Roma and Viktoria Plzen (15th and 16th) will each play one of Ferencvaros and Porto (17th and 18th).
Ruben Amorim backs Man Utd to fight for Europa League title
11:48 , Jamie Braidwood
Ruben Amorim believes Manchester United can win the Europa League after progressing to the last-16 with victory over FCSB last night.
It meant Amorim will get valuable time on the training ground ahead of entering the knockout stages of the competition.
“The idea is there because we have more time to play, to understand the game. I think we can go game by game and we can win it,” Amorim said.
“Then you have the responsibility, no matter what, no matter the context, you are in Manchester United so you must fight for winning trophies, so we will see.
“When you get to this stage of any competition, anything is possible and they can prove that in a good day, they can win against anybody, so we can think about that.”
Last night: Academy graduates take centre stage as Spurs progress
11:35 , Lawrence Ostlere
Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Elfsborg: A win against their Swedish visitors helped Spurs secure fourth spot in the league phase.
Read more:
Academy graduates take centre stage as Tottenham progress in Europa League
Rangers squeeze into Europa League last-16 after sinking Union SG
11:18 , Lawrence Ostlere
Nico Raskin headed the opener and Vaclav Cerny slotted a second as Rangers raised their game to beat Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise 2-1 in Glasgow on Thursday and go directly through to the Europa League last 16.
Read more:
Rangers squeeze into Europa League last-16 after sinking Union SG
Last night: United’s unspectacular win reveals slow progress under Amorim
11:05 , Lawrence Ostlere
FCSB 0-2 Manchester United: The Red Devils competently secured their place in the last-16 with positive signs for the future.
Read more:
Man Utd’s unspectacular Europa League win reveals slow progress made under Amorim
Last night's Europa League action
10:59 , Lawrence Ostlere
So how did the three British sides seal their spots in the Europa League’s last-16? In case you missed it...
Which teams could face each other in the last-16?
10:44 , Lawrence Ostlere
With the group-stage positions sorted, we now know the potential ties for the last 16. Teams have again been grouped into two depending on their qualifying position and they will be drawn against the two winners from a certain section of the play-offs.
So, the teams in 1st and 2nd will face the two winners from the 15th/16th/17th/18th section of the last-16 draw, the teams who came 3rd and 4th will face the two winners from the 13th/14th/19th/20th section, and so on.
Here’s the full list of those matches:
7th/8th to play 9th/10th/23rd/24th – Olympiacos and Rangers to play Bodo-Glimt/Anderlecht/Twente/ Fenerbahce.
5th/6th to play 11th/12th/21st/22nd – Frankfurt and Lyon to play FSCB/Ajax/Union SG/PAOK.
3rd/4th to play 13th/14th/19th/20th – Manchester United and Tottenham to play Sociedad/Galatasaray/AZ/Midtjylland.
1st/2nd to play 15th/16th/17th/18th – Lazio and Athletic Club to play Roma/Viktoria Plzen/Ferencvaros/Porto.
Who can draw who in play-offs?
10:18 , Lawrence Ostlere
As explained below, each play-off side can be drawn against one of two possible opponents. So:
Bodo/Glimt and Anderlecht (9th and 10th) will each play one of Twente and Fenerbahce (23rd and 24th).
FSCB and Ajax (11th and 12th) will each play one of Union SG and PAOK (21st and 22nd).
Real Sociedad and Galatasaray (13th and 14th) will each play one of AZ Alkmaar and Midtjylland (19th and 20th).
Roma and Viktoria Plzen (15th and 16th) will each play one of Ferencvaros and Porto (17th and 18th).
Who is already through to the last-16?
10:02 , Lawrence Ostlere
An addendum: there will be another draw on 21 February to decide not only the last-16 ties but the rest of the pathway through to May’s final in Bilbao, so United, Spurs and Rangers fans might want to put that date in the diary.
Who is already through to the last-16?
09:50 , Lawrence Ostlere
The top eight in the league standings are automatically through to the round of 16, so that means they won’t feature in this play-off draw, and have managed to avoid an extra two fixtures in the calendar.
They are:
Lazio
Athletic Club
Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur
Eintracht Frankfurt
Lyon
Olympiacos
Rangers
Europa League play-offs draw
09:11 , Lawrence Ostlere
So, the top eight teams in the final Europa League league-phase table are automatically through to the last-16, and they will be joined by the winners of the play-offs after a set of eight two-legged ties between those clubs who finished from ninth to 24th in the league standings.
There are three British sides in the Europa League, with Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers all hoping to go far in the competition, having all qualified for the last-16 by finishing the league phase in the top eight spots.
Europa League play-offs draw
08:58 , Lawrence Ostlere
Hello and welcome along to live coverage of today’s Europa League play-offs draw, as those teams who finished between 9th and 24th in the league-phase standings are paired up to decide who reaches the last-16. If it sounds a little convoluted, well it is, but all will be explained...
