Just in case you didn't know . . . the Europa League is the new set-up and name for the former UEFA Cup which had been in existence for 39 years. Unlike the Fairs Cup, which was not recognised as the official predecessor of the UEFA, for football records purposes these two competitions are considered the same.
The first games of the group stage take place on Thursday 17 September with the top two qualifiers from the 12 groups of 4 progressing to the next round where they will meet the 8 3rd placed teams from the Champions League for the final phase of the Europa League, consisting of 32 clubs.
Whilst not as attractive as the Champions League, the very first edition of the Europa League has a promising mixture of big names from major leagues and newcomers from less well-established European football associations.
Group A - AFC Ajax, FC Timisoara, NK Dinamo Zagreb, RSC Anderlecht
Ajax are the favourites to top Group A although they face stiff competition in a group filled with teams with a wealth of European experience. Timisoara will be relatively unknown to many but defeated the current UEFA Cup champions Shakhtar Donetsk in a Champions League qualifier before being knocked out by Stuttgart.
Group B - Valencia CF, LOSC Lille, SK Slavia Prague, Genoa CFC
Valencia have managed to get through a summer of constant speculation surrounding their players relatively unscathed and look like the team to beat in Group B. They face stiff competition from Lille, Slavia Prague and Genoa but are certainly favourites in Group B.
Valencia have managed to get through a summer of constant speculation surrounding their players relatively unscathed and look like the team to beat in Group B. They face stiff competition from Lille, Slavia Prague and Genoa but are certainly favourites in Group B.
Group C - Celtic FC, Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC, Hamburger SV, SK Rapid Vienna
Celtic will be looking to make up for the disappointment of missing out on the UEFA Champions League with a successful Europa League campaign but have a tough start against Hapoel-Tel Aviv. The Hoops face a difficult passage into the next round as they are also up against strong Bundesliga outfit Hamburg and Austria side Rapid Vienna.
Celtic will be looking to make up for the disappointment of missing out on the UEFA Champions League with a successful Europa League campaign but have a tough start against Hapoel-Tel Aviv. The Hoops face a difficult passage into the next round as they are also up against strong Bundesliga outfit Hamburg and Austria side Rapid Vienna.
Group D - Sporting Lisboa, FK Ventspils, SC Heerenveen, Hertha Berlin
Sporting and Ventspils both missed out on a place in the Champions League after suffering defeats in the playoff round with Sporting in particular feeling hard done by going out to Fiorentina in away goals. Both teams will be hoping for a good Europa League run to make up for the failure to reach the Champions League but Heerenveen and Hertha Berlin are two good teams they have to navigate past.
Sporting and Ventspils both missed out on a place in the Champions League after suffering defeats in the playoff round with Sporting in particular feeling hard done by going out to Fiorentina in away goals. Both teams will be hoping for a good Europa League run to make up for the failure to reach the Champions League but Heerenveen and Hertha Berlin are two good teams they have to navigate past.
Group E - AS Roma, FC Basel, CSKA Sofia, Fulham FC
Roma are the pick of the bunch for Group E and are the early favourites for the group but Basel and CSKA Sofia are both used to European competition and they are always hard places to visit. Fulhma are the other team in Group E and will be tough opponents if they can replicate the form that earned them their Europa League spot last season.
Roma are the pick of the bunch for Group E and are the early favourites for the group but Basel and CSKA Sofia are both used to European competition and they are always hard places to visit. Fulhma are the other team in Group E and will be tough opponents if they can replicate the form that earned them their Europa League spot last season.
Group F - Panathinaikos FC, Galatasaray SC, FC Dinamo Bucharest, SK Sturm Graz
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