Brighton will face Ajax and Marseille in the 2023-24 Europa League group stage, while West Ham United have been drawn with Greek side Olympiacos.
Liverpool, who are returning to the Europa League for the first time since the 2015-16 season, were drawn with Austrian side LASK and Belgian outfit Union St-Gilloise. Liverpool summer signing Alexis Mac Allister’s brother, Kevin, plays for Belgian side Union St-Gilloise, which could see a potential reunion for the siblings.
Brighton, in their debut European foray, have been placed in a difficult group alongside continental heavyweights Ajax, Marseille and Greek side AEK Athens.
West Ham, who were semi-finalists of the Europa League in 2022 and won last season’s Europa Conference League, will also face Freiburg and Serbian side TSC Backa Topola in Group A.
This year’s final will take place on May 22 at the Dublin Arena.
In the Europa Conference League, meanwhile, Aston Villa were drawn against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, Polish outfit Legia Warsaw and Bosnian club HSK Zrinjski.
The final of that tournament is due to be held at the Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens on May 29.
Europa League groups in full
Group A: West Ham, Olympiacos, Freiburg, TSC Bracka Topola
Group B: Ajax, Marseille, Brighton, AEK Athens
Group C: Rangers, Real Betis, Sparta Prague, Aris Limassol
Group D: Atalanta, Sporting Lisbon, Sturm Graz, Rakow Czestochowa
Group E: Liverpool, LASK, Union St-Gilloise, Toulouse
Group F: Villarreal, Rennes, Maccabi Haifa, Panathinaikos
Group G: Roma, Slavia Prague, Sheriff Tiraspol, Servette
Group H: Bayer Leverkusen, Qarabag, Molde, Hacken
When are the Europa League group games?
- Matchday 1: September 12
- Matchday 2: October 5
- Matchday 3: October 26
- Matchday 4: November 9
- Matchday 5: November 30
- Matchday 6: December 14
How does the Europa League group stage work?
Teams in each group play each other twice, home and away, with the top two advancing to the round of 16.
The third-placed sides in each group transfer to the Europa Conference League knockout round play-offs, where they will face the Europa Conference League group runners-up for a place in the last 16 of that competition.
Other key 2023-24 Europa League dates
- Knockout round play-off draw: December 18, 2023
- Knockout round play-offs: February 15 and 22, 2024
- Round of 16 draw: February 23, 2024
- Round of 16: March 7 and 14, 2024
- Quarter-finals and semi-finals draw: March 15, 2024
- Quarter-finals: April 11 and 18, 2024
- Semi-finals: May 2 and 9, 2024
- Final: May 22, 2024
(Photo: Getty Images)
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