Everything Rangers fans needs to know about when the UEFA Europa League group stage draw is and how to watch

We are now in the final 48 hours of the summer transfer window as clubs across Scotland race against the clock to get their business concluded.

Not only that, but Celtic and Rangers are building towards the first Old Firm derby of the season this weekend while the two Glasgow clubs are also set to learn their European football group stage opponents. The Hoops will be Scotland’s only representatives in the UEFA Champions League this season after Rangers were eliminated by PSV Eindhoven last night with Michael Beale’s side dropping into the Europa League.

Here is everything Rangers fans need to know about when the draw will take place, who they could face and how to watch:

When is the Europa League group stage draw?

The Europa League group stage draw will take place on Friday 1 September. It takes place 24 hours after the Champions League draw and it is held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

The group stage draw will feature a total of 32 teams who are all split into eight four-team groups. The qualification play-off round, where the final six teams will qualify, will be completed the day before the draw takes place.

How to watch the Europa League group stage draw?

TNT Sports will broadcast the group stage draw live from Monaco on 1 September at 12pm UK time.

The broadcasting giant, which replaces BT Sports, will also provide coverage of every match throughout the tournament from the group stage all the way through to the final at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

When does the Europa League group stage start?

The Europa League group stage begins in September and the action will commence shortly after the first international break of the season which runs from 4 September to 12 September.

The key group stage dates to watch out for are as follows:

• Matchday one - 21 September
• Matchday two - 5 October
• Matchday three - 26 October
• Matchday four - 9 November
• Matchday five - 30 November
• Matchday six - 14 December

Who has qualified for the Europa League?

Rangers will be in the draw with fellow British sides Liverpool, West Ham and Brighton who have all secured their place in the Europa League group stage. They could potentially be joined by Aberdeen who are locked level at 2-2 with Swedish champions BK Hacken ahead of a mouth-watering second leg at Pittodrie.

Here is a list of all the teams competing in the Europa League, including those who could potentially qualify:

Pot 1

• Liverpool
• West Ham
• Roma
• Villarreal
• Bayern Leverkusen
• Atalanta

Pot 1 or 2

• Rangers
• Sporting

Pot 2

• Rennes
• Real Betis
• Marseille

Pot 2 or 3

• Molde
• Brighton
• SC Freiburg
• Maccabi Haifa

Pot 3 or 4

• Strum Graz
• Toulouse
• AEK Athens

Pot 4

• TSC
• Servette
• Panathinaikos
• Raków Czestochowa

Pot 1, 2, 3 or 4

• Aberdeen
• Union Saint-Gilloise
• BK Hacken
• Ajax
• Cukaricki
• Zorya Luhansk
• LASK
• Lugano
• Sparta Prague
• Slavia Prague
• Dinamo Zagreb
• Aris Limassol
• Slovan Bratislava
• Olimpija Ljubljana
• Ludogorets
• KI Klaksvik
• Qarabag
• Sheriff Tiraspol
• Zrinjski Mostar
• Olympiacos