Europa League 2017-18 draw: All you need to know ahead of the group stages as Arsenal and Everton await who they will play

  • The 48 teams to compete in the Europa League have now been confirmed 
  • Arsenal are seeded in pot one and Everton will be drawn from pot two 
  • Manchester United won it last year to qualify for the Champions League 
  • Follow LIVE coverage of the draw on Friday from Monaco with Sportsmail 

Arsenal and Everton will find out who they will face next in the Europa League when the draw for the group stages is made at midday on Friday.

Arsenal will be in the draw for the group stages of the Champions League's little brother for the first time since 1999/2000 season.

Both Arsene Wenger and Ronald Koeman are aiming for Champions League qualification this season and winning the Europa League as Manchester United did last season would guarantee that.      

Manchester United won the Europa League last season when they beat Ajax in Cardiff

Manchester United won the Europa League last season when they beat Ajax in Cardiff

So, how are the pots looking?


The group stage of the Europa League brings together the great, the good and the not so good. There are 48 teams across 12 groups. Sixteen of those sides have automatically entered at this stage, 22 made it through the last play-off round and 10 dropped out of the Champions League at the same stage. 

It's all pretty straightforward in terms of the draw. One team from each pot will make up the 12 groups.

It must also be noted that no team from the same country can play each other. 

Arsenal enter the group stages of the Europa League for the first time since 1999-2000 season

Arsenal enter the group stages of the Europa League for the first time since 1999-2000 season

Everton beat Hajduk Split in a Europa League play-off to reach the group stages

Everton beat Hajduk Split in a Europa League play-off to reach the group stages

Who will Arsenal and Everton want to avoid?

Well we know Arsenal (pot one) can't draw Everton (pot two) so we thought we'd have a look at who else they could come up against.

Fans of the Premier League will know Mario Balotelli can be effective when in form. Nice are in pot two and could be drawn in the same group as the Gunners, as could fellow Ligue 1 side Marseille. 

Hoffenheim, who lost to Liverpool in a Champions League play-off, are in pot three. Theoretically they could find themselves in either Arsenal or Everton's group. A tough task for the two English sides should that happen.

Marseille could cause Arsenal problems if they are both drawn in the same group

Marseille could cause Arsenal problems if they are both drawn in the same group

EUROPA LEAGUE 2017-18 POTS 

POT 1

Arsenal, Zenit St Petersburg, Lyon, Dynamo Kiev, Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao, Lazio, AC Milan, Viktoria Plzen, FC Salzburg, Copenhagen, Braga 

POT 3

Astana, Partizan Belgrade, Hoffenheim, FC Koln, NK Rijeka, Vitoria Guimaraes, Atalanta, Zulte Waregem, Zorya Luhansk, Rosenborg, Sheriff Tiraspol, Hapoel Beer-Sheva 

POT 2

Steaua Bucharest, Ludogorets, BATE Borisov, EVERTON, Young Boys, Marseille, Real Sociedad, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Lokomotiv Moscow, Austria Wien, Hertha Berlin, Nice 

POT 4

Apollon, Istanbul Basaksehir, Konyaspor, Vitesse, Slavia Prague, Red Star Belgrade, Skenderbeu, FC Zlin, AEK Athens, FC Lugano, Vardar Skopje, Ostersunds  

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Slavia Prague, who won the Czech First Division last season, are backed with big Chinese investment and will be a side Wenger and Koeman will want to avoid from pot four. Vitesse will also be very strong opposition for either team.

Best/worst scenarios for both sides 

Arsenal (best): Young Boys, Zulte Waregem, FC Lugano

Arsenal (worst): Nice, Hoffenheim, Vitesse 

Everton (best): Braga, Zulte Waregem, FC Lugano

Everton (worst): AC Milan, Hoffenheim, Vitesse 

AC Milan could be drawn against Ronald Koeman's Everton in the next round

AC Milan could be drawn against Ronald Koeman's Everton in the next round

OK, so when is the draw taking place and how can I watch it?

Just like the Champions League, the draw for the group stage of the Europa League will be held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. Unlike the Champions League draw, it will take place at the earlier time of 12pm (BST) on Friday, August 25. It can be watched on BT Sport 1. Coverage begins at 12pm.

Finally, when will the Europa League group games happen? 

The matches will yet again take place on Thursday evenings. They will either kick-off at 6pm (BST) or 8.05pm. The first games will be played in September and the last round of matches will be at the start of December.