The 2023/24 Europa League season will begin with the group stages starting on 21st September 2023 and runs until the final in Dublin on 22 May 2024. Record holders Sevilla also won the title last time to experience the Champions League next season. Conference League winners West Ham will compete in the Europa League again with top names also playing in the competition this time.
This edition will be the final season with the current format of 32 teams participating in the group stage after UEFA announced that a brand new format would be introduced for the following edition. Due to the change, no clubs could be transferred from the Champions League group stage to the Europa League after the top-tier European competition switched to the Swiss Model. This edition's winner onwards will also not be able to defend the title.
Group A
West Ham (England)
Olympiacos (Greece)
Freiburg (Germany)
TSC Bačka Topola (Serbia)
West Ham after winning the Conference League last season, their first European title since 1965, is back in the Europa League and will face Olympiacos, TSC Bačka Topola and Freiburg. The latter will play the competition back-to-back times having debuted last season.
Group B
Ajax (Netherlands)
Marseille (France)
Brighton (England)
AEK Athens (Greece)
Having finished third on the Eredivsie table and losing their Champions League status, Ajax had to come out from the qualifiers of the Europa League to advance to the group stages of the competition. They will take on Marseille, the only French club with a European title, AEK Athens and tournament debutants Premier League entertainers Brighton.
Group C
Rangers (Scotland)
Real Betis (Spain)
Sparta Praha (Czechia)
Aris Limassol (Cyprus)
Having missed out on Champions League qualifications, Rangers will test themselves in the Europa League group stage against Real Betis from Spain, Czech league winners Sparta Praha and Cyprus’s Aris Limassol.
Group D
Atalanta (Italy)
Sporting CP (Portugal)
Sturm Graz (Austria)
Raków (Poland)
Atalanta from Serie A will take on Sporting CP, Sturm Graz and Raków in Group D of the Europa League. The Italian side are back in European competition after missing out completely last season.
Group E
Liverpool (England)
LASK (Austria)
Union SG (Belgium)
Toulouse (France)
Liverpool had an underwhelming campaign last time out forcing them to settle for the Europa League after being Champions League regulars in recent time. The Anfield club last played in the competition in 2015/16 when they moved to the final. They will fight against Austria’s LASK, last season’s quarterfinalists Union St Gilloise and Coupe de France winners Toulouse in Group E.
Group F
Villarreal (Spain)
Rennes (France)
M. Haifa (Israel)
Panathinaikos (Greece)
2020–21 UEFA Europa League winners Villarreal will face Rennes, Maccabi Haifa and Panathinaikos in the group stage of this edition of the competition.
Group G
Roma (Italy)
Slavia Praha (Czechia)
Sheriff (Moldova)
Servette (Switzerland)
Last season’s finalists Roma will try again to win the silverware this time paired with Czech league runners-up Slavia Praha, Moldovan champions Sheriff and Servette of Switzerland.
Group H
Leverkusen (Germany)
Qarabağ (Azerbaijan)
Molde (Norway)
BK Häcken (Sweden)
Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen finished as semi-finalists in the Europa League last season and will hope to go one place better facing Qarabağ, Molde and BK Häcken in the group stages.
