For the 2024/25 season, there is a completely new format in place for the UEFA competitions, including the Europa League. Instead of the classic group stage which many of us have come to love, the participating clubs now square off in a 'league phase' instead. As a result, there are also 36 teams in the competition instead of 32.
The qualification stage has remained unchanged and can be fairly complicated, with many associations competing in this stage. Therefore, we recommend visiting the official UEFA Europa League website for more information. In this section, instead, we will focus on the new league phase and how it changed the competition.
As said, 36 clubs now compete against each other in the so-called league phase, which has completely eliminated the group format. Instead of playing six games against three opponents, each club now plays eight games against eight different teams (home or away). The four ranking pots, which were also used for the group draw, remain to decide the opponents.
Two from each pot are drawn for a club, in an attempt by UEFA to ensure a good range of quality. Clubs finishing in positions 1-8 immediately qualify for the knockout stage, which has remained unchanged, while those in positions 9-16 and 17-24 must face each other in a knockout play-off tie (two legs).
Those finishing in positions 9-16 are seeded in the play-off tie and thus play the return leg at home. In conclusion, this means that the clubs taking part in the Europa League must play at least 8 games (at most 10) instead of 6 to reach the knockout stage. Those who get knocked out of the league phase are not sent down to the Conference League, it should be noted.
In the UK, TNT Sports holds exclusive broadcasting rights to the Europa League after agreeing on a deal based on the competition's new format in 2022. The agreement was signed for the upcoming three seasons and will thus remain in place until the end of the 2026/27 season. The Conference League and the Champions League will also be shown by TNT Sports, though the company lost exclusivity to the latter competition.
League table rules: Given the new format, the Europa League will have a league table just like any other football league. As already explained, the clubs in positions 1-8 qualify for the knockout stage immediately, while 9-16 and 17-24 face each other in a knockout play-off tie. Should two teams finish on the same amount of points, goal difference decides the outcome.
Kick-off times: Unlike the Champions League, which is spread across two days, all Europa League games are played on Thursdays. A majority of the games are played at 20:00 UK time, but there are also a few games in the early slot at 17:45.
Duality of reputation: The Europa League has always been in the shadow of its big brother, the Champions League, and most football fans don't rate the competition that highly. On the other hand, it's one that many of the big clubs are yet to win and that means there is some incentive still, while smaller clubs obviously see it as a pathway to glory and the Champions League.
Below, we have listed the key facts of the best Europa League betting sites in the UK. As such, you can easily compare the bookies and decide which is best for your calcio betting needs.
💻 Operator | 📊 Europa League Betting Margins | ⚽ Average Europa League Markets | 👷 Bet Builder | 💰 Europa League Promotions | 📺 Europa League Streaming | Join Bookie 👇 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.77% | 100-150 | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Bet on Europa League |
| 5.28% | 150-200 | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Bet on Europa League |
| 5.28% | 150-200 | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Bet on Europa League |
| 5.02% | 80-100 | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Bet on Europa League |
| 8.1% | 100 | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Bet on Europa League |
Launched back in 2000, Bet365 is one of the leading betting sites in the world. Always at the forefront of innovation, the site has made a name for itself with live streaming and excellent betting features. Furthermore, it has built up a reputation among UK punters as one of the best sites for betting on football, with especially the bet builder attracting new customers.
As a result, Bet365 is a great choice if you want to bet on the Europa League. Many markets are available well in advance and the bet builder, which features cash-out, is the main selling point. For those who are planning to do some live betting, Bet365 offers a great infographic and the odds are updated in real time during the games.
Although beaten by BetVictor, which is another solid choice for Europa League betting, Bet365 scores among the lowest betting margins in the industry. Given the features on offer at bet365, though, it is arguably the best all-round betting site for the Europa League.