So when is the Europa League draw taking place, with Aston Villa set to return to Europe with the all-conquering Unai Emery?
(Image credit: Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images)
So… when is the Europa Conference League draw? Aston Villa are just about ready to get going with their next European adventure.
And this one could be a big one. In manager Unai Emery, the Villans have got a serial winner of European trophies and could be one of the favourites for the competition this time around. It's not beyond the realms of possibility, watching the way that West Ham United swept the tournament last season.
Aston Villa fans are hoping for claret-and-blue ribbons in consecutive seasons with this one.
Vladimir Smicer draws Nice in the Europa Conference League last season (Image credit: Getty Images)
When is the Europa Conference League draw?
The Europa League group draw for 2023/24 takes place on September 1 at 1pm UK time – an hour after the Europa League draw. It'll be streamed live from Grimaldi Forum, Monaco.
There, it'll likely be regular presenter Pedro Pinto alongside Deputy General Secretary of UEFA, Giorgio Marchetti, choosing the teams for this autumn's group stage draw alongside a very special guest.
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As is tradition, one team from each pot will be drawn into eight groups. The first games will be played on September 21 with the final for this year being held at the Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens.
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Usually, the Champions League draw, Europa League draw and Europa Conference League draw are made at the same time. This is not the case for 2023/24, with the Champions League draw taking place a day earlier.
A view of the balls ahead of the Europa Conference League draw last season (Image credit: Kristian Skeie UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images))
2023/24 is the last edition of the tournament to feature 32 teams, with the format to be expanded for the following season. Next year, 36 clubs will qualify for the competition, with a "Swiss-style" group stage taking place.
The Premier League looks likely to be given a fifth UCL place by UEFA.
Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
