UEFA Conference League

The UEFA Conference League is the third tier of European club football, sitting below the Champions League and the Europa League. Launched in 2021, it was designed to give clubs from smaller nations a genuine shot at European silverware, rather than being knocked out early in the higher competitions. The tournament runs from July through May, with qualifying rounds in summer, a league phase from September, and a knockout stage that ends with a single-match final. Starting in the 2024–25 season, the format shifted from 32 teams in eight groups to a 36-team league phase, mirroring changes in the other UEFA competitions. No team qualifies directly for the league phase; spots are earned through domestic league finishes or by dropping down from the Europa League play-offs. The winner earns a place in the next season's Europa League league phase, unless they've already qualified for the Champions League.

What makes the Conference League special is its inclusivity. Clubs from associations ranked lower in UEFA's coefficient often get their first taste of European group football here. For fans, it means traveling to new destinations and seeing their team compete on a continental stage. The competition has already produced memorable finals: Roma's win in Tirana, West Ham's unbeaten run in Prague, and Olympiacos becoming the first Greek club to lift a European trophy. English clubs have dominated, winning three of the first five editions. Chelsea's 2025 victory made them the first team to hold all three major UEFA trophies simultaneously. [edit]

The idea for a third UEFA club competition emerged in the mid-2010s as a way to give more clubs from lower-ranked associations a realistic path to European group football. Initially called UEFA Europa League 2, it was formally approved in December 2018 and renamed the UEFA Europa Conference League before launch. The first season kicked off in July 2021, with 32 teams in the group stage. The inaugural final in Tirana saw AS Roma beat Feyenoord 1-0, with José Mourinho becoming the first manager to win the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.

In its second season, West Ham United lifted the trophy unbeaten, the only club to do so. The 2024 final in Athens featured two Italian sides, with Olympiacos beating Fiorentina 1-0 in extra time. For the 2024–25 season, UEFA rebranded it as the UEFA Conference League and expanded the league phase to 36 teams. Chelsea won that edition, beating Real Betis 4-1 in Wrocław. The 2025–26 season is underway, with the final scheduled for May 27, 2026 at Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, where Crystal Palace will face Rayo Vallecano. [edit]

The Conference League has changed the landscape of European club football by giving teams from smaller nations a realistic path to continental success. Clubs like Bodo/Glimt, Slavia Prague, and FC Basel have made deep runs, raising their profiles and generating revenue. The competition has also introduced fans to new destinations and rivalries, with traveling supporters creating a unique atmosphere at smaller stadiums. For countries like Greece and Cyprus, the tournament has provided their first European trophy winners. The competition's inclusive format has been praised for democratizing access to European football, though it remains less prestigious than its older siblings. [edit]

The Conference League has faced criticism for its place in the European football calendar, with some arguing it adds to fixture congestion for clubs in smaller leagues. The rebranding from 'Europa Conference League' to 'Conference League' in 2024 was seen by some as an attempt to distance it from the Europa League, though UEFA said it was to allow the competition to develop its own identity. There have also been complaints about the disparity in prize money compared to the Champions League and Europa League, though UEFA has defended the structure as providing a more equitable distribution for smaller clubs. [edit]