The UEFA Europa League last-16 draw is set to take place this week upon the conclusion of the inaugural play-off phase.
The likes of Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers have already qualified, on account of finishing in the top eight of the competition’s league phase, and are waiting to find out who they will face in the knockout stages.
So, when is the last-16 draw? How does the draw work? And how can you watch it in the UK?
When is the Europa League last-16 draw?
The draw for the Europa League round of 16 takes place on Friday, February 21 from 12:00pm GMT, directly after the UEFA Champions League draw.
It will be held at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.
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Amorim ‘just seemed to fit’ with young Sporting team, says Cole after another loss
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How to watch the Europa League last-16 draw
It will also be streamed live on TNT Sports’ YouTube channel.
Who is in the Europa League last-16 draw?
Lazio, Athletic Bilbao, Manchester United, Tottenham, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lyon, Olympiacos and Rangers have all qualified automatically from the league phase into the last 16 upon finishing in the top eight.
They will be joined by the winners of the two-legged knockout play-off phase.
Ferencvaros currently have a 1-0 lead over Viktoria Plzen after last Thursday’s first leg, while Porto are drawing 1-1 with Roma, AZ Alkmaar have a commanding 4-1 lead over Galatasaray, and Real Sociedad are 2-1 up over Midtjylland.
Elsewhere, Ajax are 2-0 up over Belgian side Union SG, FCSB are 2-1 up over PAOK, Twente are beating Bodø/Glimt 2-1, and Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce are 3-0 ahead against Anderlecht.
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Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou (L) shakes hands with Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim (R) after the Premier League game between the sides on February 16, 2025.
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Europa League bracket format explained
From the play-off phase onward, the tournament has a bracket format with match-ups in the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals all pre-determined by teams’ final league-phase positions.
For example, teams who finished first or second will face the winners of the knockout phase play-off ties involving the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th-placed sides in the last 16.
Teams that finished third (United) and fourth (Tottenham) will be drawn against the winners of the knockout phase play-off ties that involved the 13th, 14th, 19th and 20th-placed sides.
That means United and Tottenham will face either Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland.
In turn, the highest-placed teams in the league cannot face each other until the tournament’s latter stages.
The knockout bracket is now set through to the final. Therefore, there is no draw for the specific ties of the quarter-finals and semi-finals.