Europa League 2011/12: The ins and outs(updated 15/7)

In case you hadn't heard the Potters are in Europe next season!

Whats that? You had heard! Well here is a much needed guide to next seasons Europa League, all the info so far available to give you, the Potters faithful, the chance to plan ahead.

Right, all settled down, well the competition will consist of 194 sides, the first qualifying round will start on June 30th and the final will be played in Bucharest, Romania on 9th May.

The first qualifying round will consist of 52 sides, including Fulham, and the 26 winners will progress to the second qualifying round, where 54 more clubs will enter.

It is now where it gets interesting as a Stoke fan. The third qualifying round see's 40 sides from the second qualifying record plus 30 clubs, including the Potters, who enter at this stage. The draw for the third qualifying round will take place on 15th July but, if drawn against a side from the round before, they will not immediately know their opposition as the second qualifying round will not be completed until 21st July. he two legged third qualifying round ties are played on 28th July and 4th August.

The Potters are likely to be seeded as it goes on the clubs performance from the group stage onwards over the last 5 seasons AND the ranking of the sides domestic league. So due to the Premier League ranked as the number one league in Europe, they should have enough ranking points to get themselves a position as a seed. Although Stoke have no points from the last 5 seasons of European competition the majority of sides at this stage will be in a similar position thus meaning the Premier League points should be enough.

The 35 winners progress to the play off round where they are joined by 24 teams who automatically come in at this stage, including Birmingham and Tottenham, plus the 15 sides who lose in the 3rd qualifying round for the Champions League. This is the last round before the group stage and, after the draw is made on 5th August, the ties will be played on 18th and 25th August.

The group stage follows where 48 sides(37 play off round winners, this seasons Europa league winners and 10 loser from Champions League play off round) will be divided into 12 groups of 4 sides, to play each other home and away. The draw will take place on 26th August and the 6 group games will take place on 15th Spetember, 29th September, 20th October, 3rd November, 30th November/1st December and 14th/15th December.

From there the top two sides in each group progress to the 'Round of 32' and are joined by the sides who finish 3rd in the 8 Champions League groups. Those games are played on 16th and 23rd February before the winners battle it out in the 'Round of 16' on 8th and 15th March. The draws for both these rounds takes place on 16th December.

The 16th of March see's the final draws of the competition as the quarter finals, to be played on 29th March and 6th April, and semi finals, to be played on 19th and 26th April, are made before the last two sides standing battle it out at National Stadium in Bucharest for the cup.

1st qualifying round results - 1st leg