Your introduction to the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Are you a fan of European football? Who’s not these days? That’s where the adrenaline-pumping action of football is. You’ll also find many big names who earn jaw-dropping transfer figures. UEFA’s new addition to its already existent football competitions is just around the corner. If you are excited as the rest of the football world is about the UECL, here’s your introduction to the UEFA Europa Conference League.
UEFA Europa Conference League: What is it?
Also known as the UEFA Conference League, the UEFA Europa Conference League is a new football club event managed by UEFA for football clubs in Europe. Qualification for the tournament is based on each club’s performance in various competitions. It was recently introduced to serve as a lower-tier competition compared to the UEFA the Europa League and the Champions League.
The competition came to light after UEFA thought it necessary to create more inclusivity for clubs of lower rank. It will offer the opportunity to progress to stages that are beyond the usual ones of their elimination in the prestigious Champions League tournament.
Initially, it was called the Europa League II but was later officially announced as the UEFA Conference League on September 24th, 2019. This year’s May, UEFA unveiled the brand identity, including the trophy to be won by the competing teams
When does it start?
The league is scheduled to hold on Thursdays. So, the initial qualifying round will kick off on July 8th and also the 15th. The final will be held on the 25th of May. Below are the key dates in the competition if you don’t want to miss any of the Thursday-fixed matches.
The first round of qualification: July 8th and 15th
2nd round: July 22nd and 29th
3rd round: August 5th and 12th
Play-off: 19th and 26th of August
Group stage matches: September 16th and 30th 21st October, 4th and 25th of November, and 9th of December.
Knockout round: 17th and 24th February.
Round of 16: 10th and 17th of March
Quarter-finals: 7th and 14th of April
Semi-finals: 28th April and 5th of May.
Final: 25th of May.
Who’s involved in the league?
The tournament will feature 32 football teams. There will be no direct qualifying for the group stage, so the 32 teams will consist of:
- Seventeen from the UEFA Europa Conference League.
- Five from the UEFA Europa Conference League champions path.
- Ten teams that were knocked out of the Europa League play-offs.
Other Things You Need To Know
They will divide 32 teams into eight separate groups with four teams each. The winners from each group will move on to round sixteen, followed by the quarter-finals. This is then followed by the semi finals, and the final.
Unlike other previous football competitions, there will be more knock-out rounds. The runners-up of each group will have to tug it out with the third-place finishers. From each team to score bet, to no score bets, and so on. So, get ready for opportunities to win money as you place your bets.