European cup (e.g. soccer)
a knock-out competition
Why are groupings based on group stage rankings? The UEFA Europa League serves as one of the most popular soccer tournaments in the world. In the Europa League proper, which is divided into group stage and knockout stage, the
Grouping for the knockout stage
It's based on group stage standings, so why are the Europa League knockout groups based on group stage standings?
In the Europa League in the 1/8 finals, the 16 teams will be divided into eight groups of two teams each based on their rankings in the group stage. This matchup ensures a balanced tournament and avoids teams in the same group meeting too early.
