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Seeding in the Europa League 2024/2025

UEFA European Cup Football
by Bert Kassies

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If you have any information about data at this page being incorrect, incomplete, or out-of-date, please send a message to bert@kassiesa.net. Qualified clubs are assumed to obtain a UEFA license for European football unless they lost a final appeal at the national Appeals Body.

This page shows the list of seeded and unseeded clubs for draws in the qualifying rounds and the league stage of the Europa League 2024/2025. The UEFA Club Ranking of 2024 determines the seeding of the clubs in the tables below. See Qualification 2024/2025 for a list of qualified clubs, and Access List 2024/2025 for an overview of berths per country. More detailed information may also be found in the official EL regulations (pdf or online).

This seeding list is according to the format of the 2024-27 period. Clubs eliminated in the the Champions League are transferred to the Europa League, and clubs eliminated in the Europa League, are transferred to the Conference League. For details, see the new Access List 2024/2025 and 2024-27 qualifying scheme. The 3rd qualifying round is split into two sections: one for champions and one for non-champions.

Although the regulations no longer require the use of regional groups (as used before 2009), until now UEFA still uses some kind of regionalization in the first qualifying rounds. At first the clubs are divided into seeded and unseeded clubs, and then the seeded and unseeded clubs are split into regional groups. The general approach seems to use the North/Central/South scheme, but no specific rules are known.

Until further notice Russian clubs are suspended from participation in UEFA competitions. The access list will be rebalanced as follows:

  1. The champions of Sweden (Malmö FF) and Poland (Jagiellonia Bialystok) move from CL-Q1 to CL-Q2,
  2. The cup winner of Norway (Molde FK) moves from EL-Q1 to EL-Q2,
  3. The cup winners (or runners-up) of Armenia (Ararat-Armenia), Belarus (Neman Grodno), Bosnia-Herzegovina (Zrinjski Mostar), Luxembourg (Progrès Niederkorn), Faroe Islands (HB Torshavn), and Northern Ireland (Cliftonville) move from CO-Q1 to CO-Q2,
  4. Since there are now only 15 CL-Q1 losers in CO-Q2ch, one of them gets a bye to CO-Q3ch (to be determined by a draw).

The Champions League titleholder (Real Madrid) qualified already for the CL group stage by the domestic league. The access list will be directly rebalanced according to the club ranking of champions in the qualifying stages:

  1. The champion with the best club ranking (Shakhtar Donetsk) moves from CL-PO to CL-LS,
  2. The champion with the best club ranking in CL-Q2 (Dinamo Zagreb) moves from CL-Q2 to CL-PO,
  3. The champions with the best club ranking in CL-Q1 (Ferencváros and Qarabag FK) move from CL-Q1 to CL-Q2,
  4. Since there are now only 14 CL-Q1 losers in CO-Q2ch, two of them get a bye to CO-Q3ch (to be determined by a draw).

The Europa League titleholder (Atalanta) qualified already for the CL group stage by the domestic league. The access list will be directly rebalanced according to the club ranking of champions in the qualifying stages:

  1. The club with the best club ranking (Benfica) moves from CL-Q3nc to CL-LS,
  2. The 2 clubs with the best club ranking in CL-Q2nc (Slavia Praha and FC Salzburg) move from CL-Q2nc to CL-Q3nc,
  3. The cup winners or runners-up of Denmark (Silkeborg IF), Croatia (NK Rijeka), Greece (Panathinaikos), and Israel (Maccabi Petah-Tikva) move from EL-Q1 to EL-Q2.

The Conference League titleholder (Olympiakos Piraeus) qualified already for the 2nd qualifying round of the Conference League by the domestic league. The access list will be indirectly rebalanced as follows:

Italy and Germany secured an EPS spot, that is awarded after all the rebalancing is done. For Italy N5 (Bologna) moves to CL-LS, N7 (Lazio) to EL-LS, and N8 (Fiorentina) to CO-PO. For Germany N5 (Borussia Dortmund) moves to CL-LS, N7 (1899 Hoffenheim) to EL-LS, and N8 (1.FC Heidenheim) to CO-PO.

EL-Q1: 1st Qualifying Round (12 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Sheriff Tiraspol         Mol  20.000             IF Elfsborg              Swe   4.300
NK Maribor               Slo   9.500             Corvinul Hunedoara       Rom   4.275
Tobol Kustanai           Kaz   7.500             Botev Plovdiv            Bul   4.075
Wisla Kraków             Pol   5.075             Zira FK                  Azb   4.025
Pafos FC                 Cyp   4.420             MFK Ruzomberok           Svk   3.925
Paksi FC                 Hun   4.375             KF Llapi                 Kos   2.308

No groups were used for this draw. See UEFA Europa League 1st qualifying round draw for more info.

The draw for the 2nd qualifying round is made before the results of the 1st qualifying rounds are known. Club-pairs of the 1st qualifying round are seeded by the highest ranking of the clubs involved. The following lower ranked teams qualified (and are seeded in the draw with the coefficient of their opponent in the 1st qualifying round): Botev Plovdiv beat NK Maribor (9.500), MFK Ruzomberok beat Tobol Kustanai (7.500), IF Elfsborg beat Pafos FC (4.420), and Corvinul Hunedoara beat Paksi FC (4.375).

EL-Q2: 2nd Qualifying Round (18 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Ajax                     Ned  67.000             MFK Ruzomberok *         Svk  (7.500)
Sporting Braga           Por  49.000             Kilmarnock               Sco   7.210
Molde FK                 Nor  28.500             Panathinaikos            Gre   6.305
Sheriff Tiraspol *       Mol  20.000             Silkeborg IF             Den   6.290
Rapid Wien               Aut  14.000             Maccabi Petah-Tikva      Isr   6.225
NK Rijeka                Cro  12.000             Vojvodina Novi Sad       Srb   5.555
Trabzonspor              Tur  11.500             Wisla Kraków *           Pol   5.075
Cercle Brugge            Bel   9.760             IF Elfsborg *            Swe  (4.420)
Botev Plovdiv *          Bul  (9.500)            Corvinul Hunedoara *     Rom  (4.375)

Before the draw the club(-pair)s of the 2nd round are divided into groups. See UEFA Europa League 2nd qualifying round draw for more info. Clubs from the same association cannot be drawn against each other. The draw groups were as follows:
Group 1
seeded: Ajax, Molde FK, Rapid Wien, Trabzonspor, Cercle Brugge
unseeded: Tobol Kustanai *, Kilmarnock, Silkeborg IF, Vojvodina Novi Sad, Wisla Kraków *
Group 2
seeded: Sporting Braga, Sheriff Tiraspol *, NK Rijeka, NK Maribor *
unseeded: Panathinaikos, Maccabi Petah-Tikva, Pafos FC *, Paksi FC *

The draw for the 3rd qualifying round is made before the results of the 2nd qualifying rounds are known. Club-pairs of the 2nd qualifying round are seeded by the highest ranking of the clubs involved. Club-pairs from the 2nd qualifying round of the Champions League are seeded by the lowest ranking of the clubs involved. The following lower ranked teams qualified (and are seeded in the draw with the coefficient of their opponent in the 2nd qualifying round): IF Elfsborg beat Sheriff Tiraspol (20.000),

EL-Q3: 3rd Qualifying Round (14 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Ajax **                  Ned  67.000             NK Rijeka **             Cro  12.000
Sporting Braga **        Por  49.000             Trabzonspor **           Tur  11.500
Molde FK **              Nor  28.500             Cercle Brugge **         Bel   9.760
Viktoria Plzen           Cze  28.000             Servette FC Genève       Sui   9.000
Partizan Belgrade @2     Srb  25.500             FC Lugano @2             Sui   8.000
IF Elfsborg *            Swe (20.000)            Panathinaikos **         Gre   6.305
Rapid Wien **            Aut  14.000             Kryvbas Kryviy Rih       Ukr   5.600

Before the draw the club(-pair)s of the 3rd round are divided into groups. See UEFA Europa League 3rd qualifying round draw for more info. Clubs from the same association cannot be drawn against each other. The draw groups were as follows:
Group 1
seeded: Ajax **, Molde FK **, Partizan Belgrade @2, Rapid Wien **
unseeded: Trabzonspor **, Cercle Brugge **, FC Lugano @2, Panathinaikos **
Group 2
seeded: Sporting Braga **, Viktoria Plzen, Sheriff Tiraspol *
unseeded: NK Rijeka **, Servette FC Genève, Kryvbas Kryviy Rih

The draw for the 3rd qualifying round is made before the results of the 2nd qualifying rounds are known. Club-pairs are seeded by the lowest ranking of the clubs involved.

EL-Q3ch: 3rd Qualifying Round for Champions (12 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Maccabi Tel-Aviv @2      Isr (10.500)            Petrocub Hîncesti @2     Mol   7.000
KI Klaksvik @2           Far  10.000             FK Borac Banja Luka @2   Bos   5.500
Shamrock Rovers @2       Irl   9.500             NK Celje @2              Slo   4.500
Lincoln Red Imps @2      Gib   9.000             Dinamo Minsk @2          Bls   4.500
The New Saints @2        Wal   8.500             FK Panevezys @2          Lit   4.000
RFS Riga @2              Lat   8.000             UE Santa Coloma @2       And   1.199

Before the draw the club(-pair)s of the 3rd round are divided into groups. See UEFA Europa League 3rd qualifying round draw for more info. Clubs from the same association cannot be drawn against each other. The draw groups were as follows:
Group 1
seeded: KI Klaksvik @2, Shamrock Rovers @2, RFS Riga @2
unseeded: FK Borac Banja Luka @2, NK Celje @2, UE Santa Coloma @2
Group 2
seeded: FCSB @2, Lincoln Red Imps @2, The New Saints @2
unseeded: Petrocub Hîncesti @2, Dinamo Minsk @2, FK Panevezys @2

The draw for the play-off round is made before the results of the 3rd qualifying rounds are known. Club-pairs of the 3rd qualifying round are seeded by the highest ranking of the clubs involved. Club-pairs from the 3rd qualifying round of the Champions League are seeded by the lowest ranking of the clubs involved. The following lower ranked teams qualified (and are seeded in the draw with the coefficient of their opponent in the 3rd qualifying round): FC Lugano beat Partizan Belgrade (25.500), IF Elfsborg beat NK Rijeka (12.000), FK Borac Banja Luka beat KI Klaksvik (10.000), Dinamo Minsk beat Lincoln Red Imps (9.000), and Petrocub Hîncesti beat The New Saints (8.500).

EL-PO: Play-off Round (24 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Ajax **                  Ned  67.000             Rapid Wien **            Aut  14.000
Sporting Braga **        Por  49.000             IF Elfsborg *            Swe (12.000)
LASK                     Aut  37.000             Besiktas                 Tur  12.000
Maccabi Tel-Aviv @2      Isr  35.500             FCSB @3                  Rom  10.500
Molde FK **              Nor  28.500             FK Borac Banja Luka @2   Bos (10.000)
Viktoria Plzen *3        Cze  28.000             Shamrock Rovers @2       Irl   9.500
Ludogorets Razgrad @3    Bul  26.000             Dinamo Minsk @2          Bls  (9.000)
Ferencváros @3           Hun (25.500)            Petrocub Hîncesti @2     Mol  (8.500)
FC Lugano @2             Sui (25.500)            RFS Riga @2              Lat   8.000
PAOK Thessaloniki @3     Gre (18.500)            Hearts FC                Sco   7.210
APOEL Nicosia @3         Cyp  14.500             TSC Backa Topola         Srb   5.555
Anderlecht               Bel  14.500             Jagiellonia Bialystok @3 Pol   5.075

Before the draw the 24 club-pairs of the play-off round are divided into 3 groups. See UEFA Europa League play-off round draw for more info. Clubs from the same association cannot be drawn against each other. The draw groups were as follows:
Group 1
seeded: Ajax **, Ludogorets Razgrad @3, Partizan Belgrade @2, Anderlecht
unseeded: Besiktas, Lincoln Red Imps @2, The New Saints @2, Jagiellonia Bialystok @3
Group 2
seeded: LASK, Maccabi Tel-Aviv @2, Malmö FF @3, APOEL Nicosia @3
unseeded: FCSB @3, Shamrock Rovers @2, RFS Riga @2, TSC Backa Topola
Group 3
seeded: Sporting Braga **, Molde FK **, Viktoria Plzen *3, FC Midtjylland @3
unseeded: Rapid Wien **, NK Rijeka **, KI Klaksvik @2, Hearts FC

The 2024-27 period has a new format for the league stage. All 36 clubs play 8 matches against different opponents in a single league. For the purpose of the draw the clubs are divided into 4 pots according to the club ranking. Each club will be drawn against two opponents from each of the 4 pots, playing one match at home and one match away against them. Clubs from the same country will not be drawn against each other in the league phase and each team plays at most against a maximum of two opponents from any other country (providing a deadlock in the draw can be avoided).

EL-LS: League Stage (36 clubs) 
Pot 1                          coef.             Pot 2                          coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
AS Roma                  Ita 101.000             Real Sociedad            Esp  51.000
Manchester United        Eng  92.000             AZ Alkmaar               Ned  50.000
FC Porto                 Por  77.000             Sporting Braga **        Por  49.000
Ajax **                  Ned  67.000             Olympiakos Piraeus       Gre  48.000
Glasgow Rangers @3       Sco  63.000             Olympique Lyon           Fra  44.000
Eintracht Frankfurt      Ger  60.000             PAOK Thessaloniki @3     Gre  37.000
Lazio                    Ita  54.000             Fenerbahçe @3            Tur  36.000
Tottenham Hotspur        Eng  54.000             Maccabi Tel-Aviv @2      Isr  35.500
Slavia Praha @4          Cze  53.000             Ferencváros @3           Hun  35.000

Pot 3                          coef.             Pot 4                          coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Qarabag FK @4            Azb  33.000             Athletic Bilbao          Esp  17.897
Galatasaray @4           Tur  31.500             1899 Hoffenheim          Ger  17.324
Viktoria Plzen *3        Cze  28.000             OGC Nice                 Fra  17.000
Bodø/Glimt @4            Nor  28.000             Anderlecht *4            Bel  14.500
Union Saint-Gilloise @3  Bel  27.000             FC Twente Enschede @3    Ned  12.260
Dynamo Kyiv @4           Ukr  26.500             Besiktas *4              Tur  12.000
Ludogorets Razgrad @3    Bul  26.000             FCSB @3                  Rom  10.500
FC Midtjylland @4        Den  25.500             RFS Riga @2              Lat   8.000
Malmö FF @4              Swe  18.500             IF Elfsborg *            Swe   4.300

The top 8 clubs of the league stage qualify directly for the round of 16, while the clubs at rank 9 to 24 go to the play-off round of the knockout stage. The clubs that finish at rank 25 to 36 are eliminated. In the knockout stage there is no country protection.

The draw for the knockout stage play-offs is made by pairs of clubs based on the ranking in the league stage. Clubs of each pair go to different sides of the schedule and can not meet again before the final. Clubs at rank 9 to 16 in the league stage are seeded in the knockout stage play-offs and play the second leg at home.

EL-KO: Knockout stage play-offs (16 clubs) 
      EL league stage 17-24                 EL league stage 9-16
      ------------------------ ---          ------------------------ ---
17/18                              vs 15/16
23/24                              vs  9/10
21/22                              vs 11/12
19/20                              vs 13/14
20/19                              vs 14/13
22/21                              vs 12/11
24/23                              vs 10/9
18/17                              vs 16/15

The draw for the round of 16 is also made by pairs of clubs based on the ranking in the league stage and the result of the knockout stage play-offs. Clubs of each pair go to different sides of the schedule and can not meet again before the final (see the knockout stage schedule below). Clubs at rank 1 to 8 in the league stage are seeded in the round of 16 and play the second leg at home.

Europa League knockout stage
Final
Semi Final 1
Quarter Final 1
EL-KO (17/18 - 15/16)
EL-LS (1/2)
EL-KO (23/24 - 9/10)
EL-LS (8/7)
Quarter Final 2
EL-KO (21/22 - 11/12)
EL-LS (5/6)
EL-KO (19/20 - 13/14)
EL-LS (4/3)
Semi Final 2
Quarter Final 3
EL-KO (20/19 - 14/13)
EL-LS (3/4)
EL-KO (22/21 - 12/11)
EL-LS (6/5)
Quarter Final 4
EL-KO (24/23 - 10/9)
EL-LS (7/8)
EL-KO (18/17 - 16/15)
EL-LS (2/1)

KEY:

*=club started in 1st qualifying round
**=club started in 2nd qualifying round
*3=club started in 3rd qualifying round
*4=club started in play-off round
CL=Champions League
EL=Europa League
CO=Conference League
LS=League Stage
KO=Knockout stage play-offs
PO=Qualifying Play-off Round
Qx=Qualifying Round

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