Andalusians and people from Castellón are already waiting for their rivals in the second continental league.
When Thursday arrives, attention will be fixed on Europe’s premier secondary tournament, as the Champions League wraps its group stage absence. The spotlight shifts to the Europa League on Friday as the competition reaches a pivotal moment in the calendar.
In Monaco, fate will decide much on Friday, as Manuel Pellegrini’s Real Betis and Quique Setién’s Villarreal enter the next phase without needing to conquer earlier rounds. Both clubs are prepared to discover their Group Stage opponents in Europe’s second-tier competition.
Group stage draw of the 2023-2024 Europa League, with Betis and Villarreal: when is it, how does it work, format, seeded teams, seeding and drums
When and where is the Europa League draw?
The Europa League draw is scheduled for Friday, September 1, beginning at 1:00 PM, taking place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.
How the Europa League draw works
UEFA explains that the 32 teams that advanced to the group stage will compete in eight groups of four. The process uses pots defined by club coefficients from recent European seasons. Unlike the Champions League, there is no hype of champions at this stage; teams are ranked based on prior results rather than status as titleholders.
Two additional restrictions apply to the draw: teams from the same association cannot face each other, and UEFA may limit certain pairings for political reasons. Russian and Belarusian clubs remain excluded due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, per UEFA’s official communications.
The Europa League drums
For many participants, the drums are a crucial reference point. The identities in each pot hinge on outcomes from the preceding rounds, which conclude the day before the draw. In Spain, LaLiga guarantees two regular group-stage spots each season, regardless of the outcomes in the early rounds, ensuring representation from the league in Europe’s second competition.
Villarreal, the Europa League champions from the 2020-2021 campaign, hold enough ranking points to be part of Pot 1. Real Betis, however, are placed in Pot 2, which means potential clashes with heavyweights such as Roma, Liverpool, Atalanta, or Ajax could arise. The current lineup of the drums is outlined below.
Here are the confirmed drums for the second-tier continental tournament:
- Pot 1: West Ham, Liverpool, Roma, Ajax, Villarreal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atalanta.
- Pot 2: Rennes, Real Betis.
- Drum 3: currently empty.
- Drum 4: TSC, Napkin.
How to watch the Europa League draw on TV?
The Europa League draw will be broadcast live on television via the Champions League channel on M+ and other regional broadcasters depending on the country. Fans can expect live commentary, including the moment when each group is formed and the path to the knockout rounds begins to take shape.
Competition dates
- Matchday 1: September 21, 2023.
- Matchday 2: October 5, 2023.
- Matchday 3: October 26, 2023.
- Matchday 4: November 9, 2023.
- Matchday 5: November 30, 2023.
- Matchday 6: December 14, 2023.
- Preliminary round draw: December 18, 2023.
- First leg of the preliminary round: February 15, 2024.
- Return from the preliminary round: February 22, 2024.
- Drawing round of 16: February 23, 2024.
- Round of 16 1st leg: March 7, 2024.
- Round of 16 second leg: March 14, 2024.
- Draw for quarter-finals, semi-finals and final: March 15, 2024.
- First leg of the quarter-finals: April 11, 2024.
- Return of the quarter-finals: April 18, 2024.
- First leg of the semi-finals: May 2, 2024.
- Return of the semi-finals: May 9, 2024.
- End: May 22, 2024.