2021–22 UEFA Europa League

Lore & Background

Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Rangers 5–4 on penalties following a 1–1 draw after extra time in the final played at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán in Seville, Spain, winning the competition for the second time in club history, and the first since 1980. The final was originally scheduled to be played at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary. However, due to the postponement and relocation of the 2020 final, the final hosts were shifted back a year, with Budapest instead hosting the 2023 final. As winners, Eintracht Frankfurt automatically qualified for the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League group stage, and also earned the right to play against the winners of the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid, in the 2022 UEFA Super Cup.

Reader's Guide

This season was the first since 1999–2000 where three major European club competitions take place, and the first outright where the Europa League is the secondary competition of the three. The number of teams in the group stage was reduced from 48 to 32 teams. The first round of the knockout phase involved only the group stage runners-up and the Champions League third-placed teams, with the group winners directly advancing to the round of 16. On 24 June 2021, UEFA approved the proposal to abolish the away goals rule in all UEFA club competitions.

A total of 58 teams from 33 of the 55 UEFA member associations participated. The draw for the group stage was held on 27 August 2021 in Istanbul, Turkey. The winners of each group advanced to the round of 16, while the runners-up advanced to the knockout round play-offs.