When is the Europa League draw?

The draw for the group stage of the Europa League takes place in Monaco on Friday, when both Manchester United and Southampton will learn their fates.

Here's all you need to know about the draw - including when it will be made, who is involved and how you can follow it with Sky Sports…

When is the Europa League group stage draw?

The draw will take place at 12pm BST on Friday, August 26.

You will be able to follow all the action as it happens on Sky Sports News HQ or via our dedicated live blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms.

Who is in the draw?

There will be 48 names in the hat - 16 teams start their European adventure in this round, while 10 clubs have dropped into this phase having lost in the Champions League play-offs.

Meanwhile, 22 other sides made it through after winning their two-legged play-off ties which were completed on Thursday.

The Premier League has two participants, United, who won the FA Cup last season and Southampton, who finished sixth in the Premier League.

How is it seeded?

The 48 teams are divided into four seeding pots based on their club coefficients, with each of the 12 groups containing one side from each tier.

United are in Pot 1 due to their UEFA coefficient rating of 82.256, which is based on their displays in Europe during the past five years.

Jose Mourinho's side have the third-highest coefficient ranking in the competition, behind only Schalke and Zenit St Petersburg, while the Saints will be in Pot 3.

What are the rules?

No club can meet a side from their own association and no team from Russia can play one from Ukraine.

When will the games be played?

The Europa League group phase kicks off on Thursday September 15 and runs until December 8. Here's when each matchday will take place:

Matchday one: September 15

Matchday two: September 29

Matchday three: October 20

Matchday four: November 3

Matchday five: November 24

Matchday six: December 8

Full list of competing teams

Pot 1

Schalke (GER)

Zenit (RUS)

Manchester United (ENG)

Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)

Athletic Bilbao (ESP)

Olympiacos (GRE)

Villarreal (ESP)

Ajax (NED)

Inter Milan (ITA)

Fiorentina (ITA)

Anderlecht (BEL)

Viktoria Plzen (CZE)

Pot 2

AZ Alkmaar (NED)

Braga (POR)

Salzburg (AUT)

Roma (ITA)

Fenerbahce (TUR)

Sparta Prague (CZE)

PAOK (GRE)

Steaua Bucharest (ROU)

Genk (BEL)

APOEL (CYP)

Standard Liege (BEL)

St-Etienne (FRA)

Pot 3

Gent (BEL)

Young Boys (SUI)

Krasnodar (RUS)

Rapid Wien (AUT)

Slovan Liberec (CZE)

Celta Vigo (ESP)

Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)

Feyenoord (NED)

Austria Wien (AUT)

Mainz (GER)

Zurich (SUI)

Southampton (ENG)

Pot 4

Panathinaikos (GRE)

Sassuolo (ITA)

Qarabag (AZE)

Astana (KAZ)

Nice (FRA)

Zorya Luhansk (UKR)

Astra Giurgiu (ROU)

Konyaspor (TUR)

Osmanlıspor (TUR)

Qabala (AZE)

Hapoel Be'er Sheva (ISR)

Dundalk (IRL)