Need some light shone on the UEFA Europa League qualifying system? Allow us to explain.
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Qualifying for the 2019/20 UEFA Europa League spans more than two months; allow us to break it down step by step.
Preliminary round
Draw: 11 June
Fixtures: 27 June & 4 July
Teams: 14
Already known: 14
How it works
There will be seven two-legged preliminary round ties, with the winners proceeding to the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round. The losers bow out of Europe.
First qualifying round
Draw: 18 June
Fixtures: 11 & 18 July
Teams: 94
Already known: 87
Unknown: 7 (UEFA Europa League preliminary round winners)
How it works
There are 47 two-legged first qualifying round ties, with the winners proceeding to the main path of the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round. The losers bow out of Europe.
Second qualifying round
At this stage, qualifying splits into two paths – the champions path and the main path. The champions path is for domestic title holders eliminated at various stages of UEFA Champions League qualifying; the main path is comprised initially of automatic entrants and winners from the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round, with two teams later joining from the league route of UEFA Champions League qualifying in the third qualifying round.
Draw: 19 June
Fixtures: 25 July & 1 August
Champions path
Teams: 19
Already known: 0
Unknown: 19 (16 losers of the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round; 3 losers of the UEFA Champions League preliminary round)
How it works
An additional draw on 18 June decided one team given a bye to the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round (the loser of the game between Celtic and Sarajevo). That leaves 18 sides to contest nine two-legged fixtures, with the winners progressing to the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round. The losers will be out of Europe.
Main path
Teams: 74
Already known: 27
Unknown: 47 (UEFA Europa League first qualifying round winners)
How it works
There will be 37 two-legged ties, with the winners going into the main path of the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round. The losers will be out of Europe.
Third qualifying round
Draw: 22 July
Fixtures: 8 & 15 August
Champions path
Teams: 20
Already known: 0
Unknown: 20 (10 champions path winners of the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round; 10 champions path losers of the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round)
How it works
There will be ten two-legged ties, with the winners going into the UEFA Europa League champions path play-offs. The losers will be out of Europe.
Main path
Teams: 52
Already known: 13
Unknown: 39 (37 main path winners of the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round; 2 league path losers of the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round)
How it works
There will be 26 two-legged ties, with the winners going into the UEFA Europa League main path play-offs. The losers will be out of Europe.
Play-offs
Draw: 5 August
Fixtures: 22 & 29 August
Champions path
Teams: 16
Already known: 0
Unknown: 16 (10 champions path winners of the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round; 6 champions path losers of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round)
How it works
There will be eight two-legged ties, with the winners going into the UEFA Europa League group stage. The losers will be out of Europe.
Main path
Teams: 26
Already known: 0
Unknown: 26 (main path winners of the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round)
How it works
There will be 13 two-legged ties, with the winners going into the UEFA Europa League group stage. The losers will be out of Europe.
