European League 2018/2019 fixture with final match in Baku unveiled

Baku. 27 February. REPORT.AZ/ The final match of the 2018/2019 season has been announced in the format and schedule of the European League, to be held at the Baku Olympic Stadium. 

Report informs citing the UEFA official website, along with the Champions League (CL), the continental football team has made a number of changes to the format of the Europa League, which will be attended by three Azerbaijani clubs.

There will now be 17 teams automatically qualified as per the access list drawn up from the UEFA association coefficients at the end of 2016/17.

2018/19 season participants

Two teams from associations ranked 1st to 5th: Spain, Germany, England, Italy, France (10)
One team from associations ranked 6th to 12th: Russia, Portugal, Ukraine, Belgium, Turkey, Czech Republic, Switzerland (7)

Ten teams also enter the group stage direct from the UEFA Champions League: six teams eliminated in the league path (third qualifying round and play-offs) and four teams eliminated in the champions path play-offs.

Qualifying stage

From 2018/19 there will be two paths: the champions path and the league path. Teams enter as per the access list drawn up from the UEFA association coefficients at the end of 2016/17.

Champions route (eight group places)

This route consists of teams eliminated in the UEFA Champions League champions path between the preliminary round and the third qualifying round. There are three teams in all:

Second qualifying round: 20 teams eliminated in UEFA Champions League preliminary round and first qualifying round

Third qualifying round: ten teams eliminated in UEFA Champions League second qualifying round plus ten winners from UEFA Europa League champions path second qualifying round

Play-offs: six teams eliminated in UEFA Champions League third qualifying round plus ten winners from UEFA Europa League champions path third qualifying round.

League route (13 group places)

This route consists of the remaining UEFA Europa League entrants from all 55 associations plus teams eliminated from the UEFA Champions League league path second qualifying round

Preliminary round: 16 teams enter

First qualifying round: 86 teams enter plus eight preliminary round winners

Second qualifying round: 27 teams enter plus 47 first qualifying round winners

Third qualifying round: 15 teams enter (including the three teams eliminated from the UEFA Champions League league path second qualifying round) plus 37 second qualifying round winners

Play-offs: 26 third qualifying round winners

2018/19 UEFA Europa League

28 June: Preliminary round, first leg
5 July: Preliminary round, second leg
12 July: First qualifying round, first leg
19 July: First qualifying round, second leg
26 July: Second qualifying round, first leg
2 August: Second qualifying round, second leg
9 August: Third qualifying round, first leg
16 August: Third qualifying round, second leg
23 August: Play-off round, first leg
30 August: Play-off round, second leg

20 September: Group stage, matchday one
4 October: Group stage, matchday two
25 October: Group stage, matchday three
8 November: Group stage, matchday four
29 November: Group stage, matchday five
13 December: Group stage, matchday six

14 February: Round of 32, first leg
21 February: Round of 32, second leg
7 March: Round of 16, first leg
14 March: Round of 16, second leg
11 April: Quarter-finals, first leg
18 April: Quarter-finals, second leg
2 May: Semi-finals, first leg
9 May: Semi-finals, second leg

Wednesday 29 May: Final – Olympic Stadium, Baku.