It may not be considered the pinnacle of European club soccer tournament, but it certainly is the biggest.
The 2020-21 UEFA Europa League is set to kick off once again, with 48 teams across 12 groups preparing to play 144 group-stage matches by the end of the calendar year. It's a massive logistical undertaking at the best of times, but 2020 brings unique challenges that will make this season's Europa League an even bigger task of planning and preparation.
UEFA has scheduled a rapid-fire group stage to ensure that the knockout stages can begin at their usual time of year, which means that the 144 group games will be played over seven weeks.
It makes for a feast of football unlike anything we've seen before, with many of Europe's biggest clubs — like Milan, Arsenal, Roma, Tottenham and Napoli — involved.
Additionally, five teams — Antwerp, Granada, Leicester City, Omonia and Sivasspor — will make their group stage debuts in the 2020-21 edition.
Here's everything you need to know about this season's Europa League.
Which teams are in the Europa League 2020-21 group stage?
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
| Roma | Arsenal | Bayer Leverkusen | Benfica |
| Young Boys | Rapid Vienna | Slavia Prague | Standard Liege |
| CFR Cluj | Molde | Hapoel Be'er-Sheva | Rangers |
| CSKA Sofia | Dundalk | Nice | Lech Poznan |
| Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H |
| PSV Eindhoven | Napoli | Braga | Celtic |
| PAOK | Real Sociedad | Leicester City | Sparta Prague |
| Granada | AZ | AEK Athens | Milan |
| Omonia | Rijeka | Zorya Luhansk | Lille |
| Group I | Group J | Group K | Group L |
| Villarreal | Tottenham Hotspur | CSKA Moscow | Gent |
| Qarabag | Ludogorets | Dinamo Zagreb | Red Star Belgrade |
| Maccabi Tel Aviv | LASK | Feyenoord | 1899 Hoffenheim |
| Sivasspor | Antwerp | Wolfsberger AC | Slovan Liberec |
When are the Europa League 2020-21 draw dates and match dates?
| Phase | Draw date | Match dates |
| Group stage | Oct. 2, 2020 | Oct. 22 - Dec. 10 |
| Round of 32 | Dec. 14, 2020 | Feb. 18-25 |
| Round of 16 | Feb. 26, 2021 | March 11-18 |
|
Quarterfinals Semifinals Final | March 19, 2021 |
Apr. 8-15 Apr. 29, May 6 May 26 |
The group stage draw was held on Oct. 2 in Nyon, setting the road map for all 48 participating teams.
A seven-week group stage begins Oct. 22 and ends December 10, followed by the Round of 32 in February 2021. The final four rounds of the knockout stage will take place between late February and May, 2021.
Europa League 2020-21 group stage fixtures, results
Matchday 1
| Date | Time (ET) | Fixture |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Standard Liege 0, Rangers 2 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | H. Beer-Sheva 3, Slavia Prague 1 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Leverkusen 6, Nice 2 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | CSKA Sofia 0, CFR Cluj 2 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | PAOK 1, Omonia 1 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | PSV 1, Granada 2 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Dundalk 1, Molde 2 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Napoli 0, AZ 1 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Lech Poznan 2, Benfica 4 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Rapid Vienna 1, Arsenal 2 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Rijeka 0, Real Sociedad 1 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Young Boys 1, Roma 2 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Ludogorets 1, Antwerp 2 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Hoffenheim 2, Red Star 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Sparta Prague 1, Lille 4 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Celtic 1, Milan 3 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Villarreal 5, Sivasspor 3 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Braga 3, AEK Athens 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Tottenham 3, LASK 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Wolfsberg 1, CSKA Moscow 1 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Leicester 3, Zorya Luhansk 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Dinamo Zagreb 0, Feyenoord 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | M. Tel-Aviv 1, Qarabag 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Liberec 1, Gent 0 |
Matchday 2
| Date | Time (ET) | Fixture |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 1:55 p.m. | AEK Athens 1, Leicester 2 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 1:55 p.m. | Qarabag 1, Villarreal 3 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 1:55 p.m. | Red Star 5, Liberec 1 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 1:55 p.m. | LASK 4, Ludogorets 3 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 1:55 p.m. | Antwerp 1, Tottenham 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 1:55 p.m. | Sivasspor 1, M. Tel-Aviv 2 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 1:55 p.m. | Gent 1, Hoffenheim 4 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 1:55 p.m. | CSKA Moscow 0, Dinamo Zagreb 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 1:55 p.m. | Feyenoord 1, Wolfsberg 4 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 1:55 p.m. | Zorya Luhansk 1, Braga 2 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 1:55 p.m. | Milan 3, Sparta Prague 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 1:55 p.m. | Lille 2, Celtic 2 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 4 p.m. | Molde 1, Rapid Vienna 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 4 p.m. | Rangers 1, Lech Poznan 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 4 p.m. | Nice 1, H. Beer-Sheva 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 4 p.m. | Real Sociedad 0, Napoli 1 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 4 p.m. | Slavia Prague 1, Leverkusen 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 4 p.m. | CFR Cluj 1, Young Boys 1 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 4 p.m. | Benfica 3, Standard Liege 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 4 p.m. | Omonia 1, PSV 2 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 4 p.m. | Arsenal 3, Dundalk 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 4 p.m. | Roma 0, CSKA Sofia 0 |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 4 p.m. | Granada vs. PAOK |
| Thurs. Oct. 29 | 4 p.m. | AZ 4, Rijeka 1 |
Matchday 3
| Date | Time (ET) | Fixture |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 12:55 p.m. | H. Beer-Sheva 2, Leverkusen 4 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 12:55 p.m. | Lech Poznan 3, Standard Liege 1 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 12:55 p.m. | Benfica 3, Rangers 3 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 12:55 p.m. | Slavia Prague 3, Nice 2 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 12:55 p.m. | PAOK 4, PSV 1 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 12:55 p.m. | Real Sociedad 1, AZ 0 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 12:55 p.m. | Ludogrets 1,Tottenham 3 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 12:55 p.m. | Roma 5, CFR Cluj 0 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 12:55 p.m. | Rijeka 1, Napoli 2 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 12:55 p.m. | Omonia 0, Granada 2 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 12:55 p.m. | Rapid Vienna 4, Dundalk 3 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 12:55 p.m. | Sivasspor 2, Qarabag 0 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Villarreal 4, M. Tel-Aviv 0 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Antwerp 0, LASK 1 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Dinamo Zagreb 1, Wolfsberg 0 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Feyenoord 3, CSKA Moscow 1 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Arsenal 4, Molde 1 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Leicester 4, Braga 0 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Milan 0, Lille 3 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Young Boys 3, CSKA Sofia 0 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Hoffenheim 5, Liberec 0 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Red Star Belgrade 2, Gent 1 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Celtic 1, Sparta Prague 4 |
| Thurs. Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Zorya Luhansk 1, AEK Athens 4 |
Matchday 4
| Date | Time (ET) | Fixture |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 12:55 p.m. | M. Tel-Aviv 1, Villarreal 1 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 12:55 p.m. | AEK Athens 0, Zorya Luhansk 3 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 12:55 p.m. | CSKA Moscow 0, Feyenoord 0 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 12:55 p.m. | Wolfsberg 0, Dinamo Zagreb 3 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 12:55 p.m. | Librerec 0, Hoffenheim 2 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 12:55 p.m. | Gent 0, Red Star Belgrade 2 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 12:55 p.m. | Qarabag 2, Sivasspor 3 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 12:55 p.m. | Braga 3, Leicester 3 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 12:55 p.m. | CSKA Sofia 0, Young Boys 1 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 12:55 p.m. | Lille 1, Milan 1 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 12:55 p.m. | LASK 0, Antwerp 2 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 12:55 p.m. | Molde 0, Arsenal 3 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 3 p.m. | Sparta Prague 4, Celtic 1 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 3 p.m. | Nice 1, Slavia Prague 3 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 3 p.m. | PSV 3, PAOK 2 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 3 p.m. | Tottenham 4, Ludogrets 0 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 3 p.m. | Standard Liege 2, Lech Poznan 1 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 3 p.m. | CFR Cluj 0, Roma 2 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 3 p.m. | Napoli 2, Rijeka 0 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 3 p.m. | Rangers 2, Benfica 2 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 3 p.m. | Granada 2, Omonia 1 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 3 p.m. | Leverkusen 4, H. Beer-Sheva 1 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 3 p.m. | Dundalk 1, Rapid Vienna 3 |
| Thurs. Nov. 26 | 3 p.m. | AZ 0, Real Sociedad 0 |
Matchday 5
| Date | Time (ET) | Fixture |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 12:55 p.m. | Sivasspor 0, Villarreal 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 12:55 p.m. | Milan 4, Celtic 2 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 12:55 p.m. | Qarabag 1, M. Tel-Aviv 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 12:55 p.m. | Zorya Luhansk 1, Leicester 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 12:55 p.m. | AEK Athens 2, Braga 4 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 12:55 p.m. | Gent 1, Liberec 2 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 12:55 p.m. | Red Star Belgrade 0, Hoffenheim 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 12:55 p.m. | Lille 2, Sparta Prague 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 12:55 p.m. | CSKA Moscow 0, Wolsfberg 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 12:55 p.m. | Feyenoord 0, Dinamo Zagreb 2 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 12:55 p.m. | LASK 3, Tottenham 3 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 12:55 p.m. | Antwerp 3, Ludogorets 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. | Rangers 3, Standard Liege 2 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. | CFR Cluj 0, CSKA Sofia 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. | AZ 1, Napoli 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. | Slavia Prague 3, H. Beer-Sheva 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. | Granada 0, PSV 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. | Molde 3, Dundalk 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. | Real Sociedad 2, Rijeka 2 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. | Roma 3, Young Boys 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. | Benfica 4, Lech Poznan 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. | Nice 2, Leverkusen 3 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. | Omonia 2, PAOK 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. | Arsenal 4, Rapid Vienna 1 |
Matchday 6
| Date | Time (ET) | Fixture |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 12:55 p.m. | Leverkusen 4, Slavia Prague 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 12:55 p.m. | CSKA Sofia 3, Roma 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 12:55 p.m. | Standard Liege 2, Benfica 2 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 12:55 p.m. | Dundalk 2, Arsenal 4 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 12:55 p.m. | Lech Poznan 0, Rangers 2 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 12:55 p.m. | PSV 4, Omonia 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 12:55 p.m. | Rijeka 2, AZ 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 12:55 p.m. | Rapid Vienna 2, Molde 2 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 12:55 p.m. | PAOK 0, Granada 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 12:55 p.m. | H. Beer-Sheva 1, Nice 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 12:55 p.m. | Napoli 1, Real Sociedad 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 12:55 p.m. | Young Boys 2, CFR Cluj 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | Sparta Prague 0, Milan 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | Ludogorets 1, LASK 3 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | Hoffenheim 4, Gent 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | Dinamo Zagreb 3, CSKA Moscow 1 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | Celtic 3, Lille 2 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | M. Tel-Aviv 1, Sivasspor 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | Tottenham 2, Antwerp 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | Braga 2, Zorha Luhansk 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | Wolfsberg 1, Feyenoord 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | Liberec 0, Red Star Belgrade 0 |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | PPD | Villarreal vs. Qarabag |
| Thurs. Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | Leicester 2, AEK Athens 0 |
How to watch Europa League 2020-21: Live stream on DAZN
In Canada, Europa League matches are available on DAZN, the live streaming sports service.
DAZN offers new customers a 30-day free-trial period. You can learn how to sign up for a free trial here.
DAZN is available on web browsers at DAZN.com, plus many popular streaming devices, including: iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, Amazon Fire tablet, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, LG Smart TV, Panasonic Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Sony Smart TV, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X | S.
Where will the Europa League 2020-21 final be played?
Stadion Energa Gdansk in Gdansk, Poland, will play host to the Final. The venue was originally set to host the 2019-20 final, but the pandemic caused UEFA to employ a "bubble" for the knockout stage in Germany, and all the final hosts were pushed back a year.
The Europa League final is scheduled for Wednesday, May 26, 2021, with a 3 p.m. ET kickoff.
Which Canadians are playing in Europa League 2020-21?
Jonathan David, Lille
In his first season in Ligue 1 after becoming Lille's most expensive incoming transfer in club history, Jonathan David heads into his third Europa League campaign with a proven track record in the continental competition. The 20-year-old striker scored twice for Belgian side Gent in just 76 minutes during the 2018-19 Europa League before potting five more goals in last season's tournament.
David has had a slow start to his new life in France, but Lille has been successful with him in the lineup and his scoring rate in Europe lends credence to the belief that he'll come good sooner than later.
Scott Arfield, Rangers
The Scotland born and raised captain of Canada's national team, Scott Arfield brings a wealth of experience to a Rangers team that finds itself in a favourable group.
Arfield already has a goal to his name in the 2020-21 Europa League as he found the target in Rangers' 2-1 qualifying win over Galatasaray, and at 31 he continues to be a key player in the Glasgow giant's plans.
Milan Borjan, Red Star Belgrade
Canada's longtime starting goalkeeper, Milan Borjan has been a mainstay in European competition throughout his career. With Red Star Belgrade, the 32-year-old has played 43 games in the Champions League and Europa League prior to this year's group stage, and he'll remain the Serbian SuperLiga team's No. 1 during its run through this year's edition.