Not getting enough soccer in your life? How about a feast of 24 matches on the same day?
The UEFA Europa League group stage kicks off Thursday with Matchday 1, and all 48 teams are in action. That means two dozen matches spread over Europe on the same day, with some of the game's biggest clubs taking part.
Among Thursdays fixtures are Standard Liege vs. Rangers, which could feature Canada national team captain Scott Arfield in the lineup for the Scottish outfit. Arfield was pivotal in helping Rangers reach the group stage as he scored the opening goal of a 2-1 playoff victory over Galatasaray to seal the Scottish team's spot in Group D.
Elsewhere, young Canadian Jonathan David is still in search of his first goal as a Lille player and he will get another opportunity against Sparta Prague. David's five goals in last year's competition helped convince Lille to make a €30-million move for the 20-year-old attacker, so expectations of the Ottawa-raised youngster will be high this time around.
The marquee game of the first matchday is Celtic vs. Milan, with the Glasgow giant hosting a red-hot Rossoneri that features ageless wonder Zlatan Ibrahimovic still at the height of his powers.
Here's the full schedule for Matchday 1 of the Europa League season, plus how to watch every game live.
Europa League Matchday 1: Schedule, fixtures
| Date | Time (ET) | Fixture |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Standard Liege vs. Rangers |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | H. Beer-Sheva vs. Slavia Prague |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Leverkusen vs. Nice |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | CSKA Sofia vs. CFR Cluj |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | PAOK vs. Omonia |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | PSV vs. Granada |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Dundalk vs. Molde |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Napoli vs. AZ |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Lech Poznan vs. Benfica |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Rapid Vienna vs. Arsenal |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Rijeka vs. Real Sociedad |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 12:55 p.m. | Young Boys vs. Roma |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Ludogorets vs. Antwerp |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Hoffenheim vs. Red Star |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Sparta Prague vs. Lille |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Celtic vs. Milan |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Villarreal vs. Sivasspor |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Braga vs. AEK Athens |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Tottenham vs. LASK |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Wolfsberg vs. CSKA Moscow |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Leicester vs. Zorya Luhansk |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Dinamo Zagreb vs. Feyenoord |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | M. Tel-Aviv vs. Qarabag |
| Thurs. Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Liberec vs. Gent |
How to watch Europa League Matchday 1 in Canada: TV and live stream
Europa League matches stream exclusively live and on-demand on DAZN in Canada.
DAZN, the first global pure sport live and on-demand streaming service, has the streaming rights for the Europa League in Canada for the 2020-21 season.
DAZN is available on web browsers at DAZN.com and also has apps available for many TV and streaming devices, including:
- iPhone, iPad
- Android phones and tablets
- Amazon Fire Tablet
- Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
- Apple TV
- Android TV
- Google Chromecast
- LG, Panasonic, Sony and Samsung smart TVs
- Playstation 3, 4 and Pro
- Xbox One, One S and One X
A subscription to DAZN is $20 CAD a month or $150 CAD a year.
Can I watch Europa League games in Canada for free?
In Canada, DAZN offers new customers a 30-day free trial period. You can learn how to sign up for a free trial here.
The free-trial period includes access to all of DAZN's live and on-demand programming, including Premier League, Serie A, Champions League, the NFL and more.