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September 12, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Sports Desk • Soccer

UEFA Conference League

The UEFA Conference League is UEFA’s annual third-tier men’s club football competition in Europe, introduced in 2021.

Updated September 12, 20261 min readCited sources

The UEFA Conference League is UEFA’s third-tier men’s club football competition in Europe, introduced in 2021. It sits below the Champions League and Europa League.

History and background

UEFA created the competition in 2021 to give more European clubs a chance to compete in a continental tournament. Originally called the UEFA Europa Conference League, it was renamed to UEFA Conference League from the 2024–25 season onward.

Format and structure

The current format uses a 36-team league phase. Each club plays six different opponents (three home, three away). The top eight advance directly to the round of 16; teams placed 9th to 24th enter knockout phase play-offs for the remaining spots. The rest are eliminated.

Qualification and prize

Clubs qualify through domestic league positions, cup results, or via UEFA’s access list. The winner earns a place in the next season’s UEFA Europa League (unless already qualified for the Champions League). The final is a single match at a neutral venue.

In short

  • Third-tier European club competition below Champions League and Europa League.
  • Launched in 2021; renamed from Europa Conference League in 2024.
  • 36-team league phase with six matches per club.
  • Winner qualifies for the following UEFA Europa League season.
Canadian angle

Canadian clubs are generally eligible only through CONCACAF competition pathways rather than UEFA, so the tournament has little direct Canadian participation. Canadian readers may encounter it mainly through international club football coverage and European broadcasting.

Quick questions

What is UEFA Conference League?
It is UEFA’s annual third-tier men’s club football competition in Europe, below the Champions League and Europa League.
How does Conference League work?
Clubs first go through qualifying, then a 36-team league phase. Each team plays six different opponents; the top eight reach the round of 16, 9th to 24th enter play-offs, and the rest are eliminated.
Conference League winners?
The winners are the clubs that win the season-ending final. The champion qualifies for the following UEFA Europa League season, unless already in the UEFA Champions League.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Conference_League
    Supports: General overview; competition level; 2021 launch; modern league-phase and knockout structure; top eight and 9th–24th advancement.
  2. UEFA — https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0264-10fe90612aa3-37b2bc77f89e-1000--uefa-europa-conference-league-what-is-it-how-does-it-work-w/
    Supports: Official explanation of the competition; qualifiers; league phase; knockout round play-offs; scheduling on Thursdays.
  3. The Athletic — https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2052046/2020/09/10/what-is-uefa-conference-league-how-qualify/
    Supports: Qualification route and relationship to other UEFA competitions.
  4. Crystal Palace FC — https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/information/crystal-palace-the-uefa-conference-league-explained/
    Supports: Competition tier, Thursday scheduling, and Europa League qualification for winners.
  5. Simple English Wikipedia — https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Conference_League
    Supports: Basic description of the competition and its place in European club football.