Europa League quarter-final draw: all you need to know

When and where is the draw?

The UEFA Europa League draw begins at 13:00CET on Friday 15 March, taking place at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. It follows the UEFA Champions League draw, which starts at 12:00CET.

Who is in the draw?

The eight teams were confirmed after Thursday’s round of 16 second legs.

Arsenal (ENG)
Benfica (POR)
Chelsea (ENG)
Eintracht Frankfurt (GER)
Napoli (ITA)
Slavia Praha (CZE)
Valencia (ESP)
Villarreal (ESP)

Who will hold the trophy aloft in Baku in May?©UEFA via Getty Images

Is there country protection?

No. This will be an open draw in which no teams are seeded and clubs from the same national association can be drawn against each other.

The side drawn first will play the first leg at home. However, Arsenal and Chelsea cannot play at home on the same night following a decision made by the relevant local authorities. Should both clubs be drawn at home in the same week, the team with the lower priority – in this case Arsenal because Chelsea won the FA Cup – will be reversed in accordance with the UEFA Club Competitions Committee principles. Any potential reversal for the semi-finals, for the same reason, would be confirmed after the quarter-finals.

What about the semi-final draw?

Unlike previous seasons, the route to the final will be mapped out at this stage. After the quarter-final draw there is a semi-final draw too, followed by a draw to determine the ‘home’ team in the final for administrative reasons.

Quarter-final flashback

How can you follow the draws?

The draw will be streamed live on UEFA.com, with build-up beforehand and reaction to follow in our DrawCentre. Coverage is also available throughout the day on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

When will the matches be played?

The match schedule for the quarter-finals (including a potential reversal involving Arsenal) will be communicated at approximately 14:45CET. The calendar for the semi-finals (including a potential reversal involving Arsenal) will be communicated by 20 April at the latest.

Quarter-final: 11 18 April
Semi-finals: 2 9 May
Final: Wednesday 29 May, Olympic Stadium, Baku

All kick off at 21:00CET though exceptions to this rule can be made by the UEFA administration.