Fri Jan 31 12:00:00 UTC 2025: ## UEFA Europa League Knockout Playoff Draw Set for Friday
**Nyon, Switzerland** – The UEFA Europa League knockout playoff round draw will take place this Friday at 7 a.m. ET (midday U.K. time) at the House of European Football in Nyon. This draw will determine the pairings for the 16 teams that finished between 9th and 24th in the group stage. The top eight teams automatically advance to the round of 16.
This year’s draw differs significantly from previous seasons. A new seeding system ensures that the highest-ranked teams cannot meet until the later stages of the competition. For example, top-ranked Lazio and second-ranked Athletic Club cannot face each other until the final.
The draw will pair teams based on their final league standings (9th vs. 10th, 11th vs. 12th, and so on). Each pair will be split into opposite halves of the bracket, meaning they cannot meet until the final. Before the draw, each pair has two potential opponents. The unseeded teams (17th-24th) will be drawn first, ensuring they are placed in opposite halves. Seeded teams (9th-16th) will follow, completing the knockout playoff round pairings. Seeded teams will host the second leg.
Crucially, teams from the same country *can* now play each other from this stage onwards, and it’s even possible to draw a team previously faced in the group stage. Knockout playoff round matches will be played on February 13th (first leg) and February 20th (second leg).
Following the knockout playoff round, the round of 16 draw will take place on February 21st. The top eight teams will then have their opponents determined, ensuring they are drawn into opposite halves of the bracket. The round of 16 matches are scheduled for March 6th and 13th. A final draw will be held after the round of 16 to determine home teams for the quarter-final and semi-final second legs. The entire knockout bracket, from the playoff round to the final, will then be set.
First Piper 