Saints join Hammers in Europa League

Sean Whetstone

9 years ago

Categories: Whispers

Southampton have qualified for the 2015/16 Europa League thanks to Arsenal’s win against Aston Villa in the FA Cup final on Saturday. The Saints will enter the competition at the third qualifying round stage, meaning their season will start on Thursday 30th July. The second leg will take place on Thursday 6th August.

This means Liverpool who finished sixth in the Premier League will now join Spurs in the group stages of the competition in which 48 teams complete with the first group match scheduled for 17th September.

Meanwhile West Ham will have to go the long way around by entering at the first qualifying round with the first game on 2nd July.

The first qualifying round contains a total of 104 teams selected from 31 domestic cup winners, 35 domestic league runners-up, 35 domestic league third-placed teams and finally 3 teams which qualified via Fair Play ranking.

Teams in the first qualifying round draw are due to take place on 22nd June and include:

Europa League First Qualifying Round
Botoșani (8th)	Debrecen (4th)	FH (2nd)	Vaduz (CW)
Beitar Jerusalem (4th)	Koper (CW)	Víkingur Reykjavík (4th)	Glentoran (CW)
Apollon Limassol (3rd)	Celje (2nd)	Jelgava (CW)	Linfield (2nd)
Omonia (4th)	Domžale (3rd)	Skonto (2nd)	Glenavon (3rd)
Brøndby (3rd)	Žilina (2nd)	Spartaks Jūrmala (6th)^{[Note LVA]}	Bala Town (2nd)
Randers (4th)	Slovan Bratislava (3rd)	Mladost Podgorica (CW)	Airbus UK Broughton (3rd)
Hajduk Split (3rd)	Spartak Trnava (4th)	Sutjeska Nikšić (2nd)	Newtown (P-W)
Lokomotiva (4th)	Sheriff Tiraspol (CW)	Budućnost Podgorica (3rd)	Ulisses (2nd)
(2nd/3rd)	Dacia Chișinău (2nd)	Laçi (CW)	Shirak (3rd)
(4th)	Saxan (5th)^{[Note MDA]}	Kukësi (2nd)	Alashkert (4th)
Shakhtyor Soligorsk (3rd)	Inter Baku (2nd)	Partizani Tirana (3rd)	Nõmme Kalju (CW)
Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino (4th)	Gabala (3rd)	Kruoja Pakruojis (2nd)	Sillamäe Kalev (2nd)
Aberdeen (2nd)	Neftchi Baku (CW/4th)	Atlantas (3rd)	Flora Tallinn (3rd)
St. Johnstone (4th)	Dinamo Tbilisi (CW)	Trakai (4th)	Víkingur Gøta (CW)
AIK (3rd)	Dinamo Batumi (2nd)	Rabotnički (CW)	HB (2nd)
Elfsborg (4th)	Spartaki Tskhinvali (4th)	Shkëndija (3rd)	NSÍ Runavík (4th)
Beroe Stara Zagora (2nd)	Kairat (CW)	Renova (4th)	Juvenes/Dogana (2nd)
Lokomotiv Sofia (3rd)	Aktobe (2nd)	St Patrick’s Athletic (CW)	La Fiorita (3rd)
Rosenborg (2nd)	Ordabasy (4th)	Cork City (2nd)	Sant Julià (CW)
Odd (3rd)	Olimpic (CW)	Shamrock Rovers (4th)	Lusitanos (2nd)
Strømsgodset (4th)	Željezničar (2nd)	Differdange 03 (CW)	College Europa (2nd)
Čukarički (CW)	Zrinjski Mostar (3rd)	F91 Dudelange (3rd)	Go Ahead Eagles (FP)
Red Star Belgrade (2nd)	SJK (2nd)	Progrès Niederkorn (4th)	West Ham United (FP)
Vojvodina (4th)	Lahti (3rd)	Birkirkara (CW)	UCD (FP)
Ferencváros (CW)	VPS (4th)	Valletta (2nd)
MTK Budapest (3rd)	KR (CW)	Balzan (4th)