Europa League draw LIVE: Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers through to last-16 as play-offs revealed

The Europa League’s new format sees eight play-off games decided by today’s draw as clubs fight to join Man Utd, Spurs and Rangers in the last-16

Amorim explains Mainoo's change in position

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

[31 January 2025 10:44 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Which teams could face each other in the last-16?

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.

Manchester United await in the round of 16 (AP)

[31 January 2025 10:18 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Who can draw who in play-offs?

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).

[31 January 2025 10:02 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Who is already through to the last-16?

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.

[31 January 2025 09:50 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Who is already through to the last-16?

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:

1. Lazio
2. Athletic Club
3. Manchester United
4. Tottenham Hotspur
5. Eintracht Frankfurt
6. Lyon
7. Olympiacos
8. Rangers

Spurs beat Elfsborg last night to seal a top-eight spot (Getty Images)

[31 January 2025 09:11 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Europa League play-offs draw

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.

[31 January 2025 08:58 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Europa League play-offs draw

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...