The Europa League and Conference League explained

The Champions League gets the spotlight, but UEFA runs three club competitions that together cover most of the continent. Here's how the other two work.

A three-tier pyramid

UEFA's club competitions sit in a hierarchy by prestige:

1. Champions League — the elite

2. Europa League — the second tier

3. Conference League — the third tier

A country's European places are shared across all three depending on its league ranking, so even mid-table and smaller-nation clubs get a shot at continental football.

The Europa League

The Europa League is the senior of the two. Like the Champions League, it now runs on a league phase — 36 teams in one table, each playing eight matches — before a knockout play-off and the familiar two-legged rounds to the final.

Its biggest carrot: the winner qualifies for the next season's Champions League, making it a genuine back-door route to the top table.

The Conference League

Launched in 2021, the Conference League opened European football up to clubs who would previously never reach the group stage. It uses a similar league-phase model with a slightly shorter schedule (six matches in the league phase). It has quickly produced fairy-tale runs from clubs in smaller leagues, and its winner steps up into the Europa League the following season.

Why three competitions?

More tiers mean more clubs, from more countries, get meaningful European nights — and more two-way movement between them. A good run in the Conference League can lift a smaller club's profile and finances, while the Europa League gives established sides a realistic path back to the Champions League.

When these competitions are in season, follow the tables and results in our tournaments section.

FAQ

What is the difference between the Europa League and the Conference League?

The Europa League is UEFA's second-tier competition and the Conference League its third. Both use a 36-team league phase, but Europa League clubs play eight matches while Conference League clubs play six, and the Europa League carries more prestige, prize money and a Champions League spot for its winner.

Does the Conference League winner qualify for the Champions League?

No. The Conference League winner earns a place in the next season's Europa League, one step up the ladder. It is the Europa League winner who receives automatic entry to the following season's Champions League.

How do clubs qualify for the Europa League and Conference League?

Mainly through domestic league position and by winning a domestic cup, with each country's allocation set by UEFA's league rankings. Clubs eliminated in the qualifying rounds of a higher competition can also drop down into the qualifiers of the one below.

Is it still called the Europa Conference League?

The competition launched in 2021 as the UEFA Europa Conference League, but from the 2024-25 season it was rebranded simply as the UEFA Conference League. The format and its place as the third tier were unchanged.

Can a team drop from the Champions League into the Europa League mid-season?

Not anymore once the league phase starts — teams finishing 25th to 36th in the Champions League table are simply eliminated. The old safety net, where third-placed group teams parachuted into the Europa League knockouts, disappeared with the format change.