UEFA Conference League

In the vast landscape of European club football, the UEFA Conference League emerged as a vital third-tier competition, offering a grand stage to clubs often overshadowed by giants. It was designed to bring more opportunities and thrilling matches to a wider array of nations, fostering dreams of continental glory. This tournament showcases incredible talent and unexpected heroes, proving that every club deserves a chance to shine on the European stage. The UEFA Conference League was established to provide more European football opportunities for clubs from lower-ranked UEFA member associations, complementing the Champions and Europa Leagues. The competition has evolved significantly since its 2021 launch, undergoing a rebranding and format overhaul in 2024 to become a standalone tournament with an expanded league phase. Winning the Conference League not only grants a prestigious trophy but also secures a coveted spot in the following season's UEFA Europa League, creating a direct pathway to higher-tier European competition.

Source: Wikipedia

AI Summary

The UEFA Conference League was established to provide more European football opportunities for clubs from lower-ranked UEFA member associations, complementing the Champions and Europa Leagues.
The competition has evolved significantly since its 2021 launch, undergoing a rebranding and format overhaul in 2024 to become a standalone tournament with an expanded league phase.
Winning the Conference League not only grants a prestigious trophy but also secures a coveted spot in the following season's UEFA Europa League, creating a direct pathway to higher-tier European competition.

A New European Stage for Football Dreams

The UEFA Conference League emerged as a vital third-tier competition, created to offer more opportunities for clubs from lower-ranked nations to compete on a grand European stage. It complements the top-tier Champions League and second-tier Europa League, ensuring a wider array of teams experience continental football.

As early as 2015, UEFA contemplated a new continental tournament, aiming to provide clubs often overshadowed by giants a real chance at glory. Discussions gained serious momentum by mid-2018, hinting at a significant expansion of European club football.

The official announcement came on December 2, 2018, confirming the launch for the 2021–24 competition cycle. Initially known as "Europa League 2" or "UEL2", it promised "more matches for more clubs and more associations." On September 24, 2019, it was officially named the UEFA Europa Conference League.

The Trophy's Distinct Design

On May 24, 2021, UEFA unveiled the competition's impressive trophy and brand identity. Standing 57.5 cm (22.6 in) tall and weighing 11 kg (24 lb), it was designed by the renowned firm Pentagram.

Crafted from brass with galvanic steel and silver plating, the trophy features 32 hexagonal columns. These represent the original 32 teams in the group stage, curving upwards to evoke the dynamic motion of a football soaring through the air towards the goal.

Milestones on the Pitch

History was quickly made. Evo Chris of Mosta F.C. scored the first-ever goal in the qualifiers on July 6, 2021. Later that year, on September 30, Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur netted the competition's first hat-trick in a memorable group stage performance, scoring three goals in just 20 minutes.

Inaugural Glory: Roma in 2022

The climax of the first season arrived on May 25, 2022. Italian giants Roma, led by legendary manager José Mourinho, defeated Dutch club Feyenoord 1-0 in the final to become the UEFA Europa Conference League's first-ever champions.

The following season, West Ham United delivered a dominant performance in 2023. They not only won all six of their group stage matches but went on to claim the trophy undefeated, beating Italian side Fiorentina 2-1 in a thrilling final.

In 2024, Greek club Olympiacos made history by defeating Fiorentina 1-0 in the final, becoming the first Greek team ever to win a major European trophy. This highlighted the tournament's growing impact across the continent, showcasing diverse talent.

The success continued with English clubs. Chelsea claimed the title in 2025, and Crystal Palace followed suit in 2026, defeating Rayo Vallecano in the final. These victories further underscore the competition's evolving landscape and rising prestige.

A New Identity: The UEFA Conference League

A significant evolution was announced on June 28, 2023. From the 2024–25 season onwards, the competition would be officially renamed the 'UEFA Conference League'. This change aimed to establish it as a distinct, standalone tournament, moving away from its original "Europa" association.

Accompanying the rebrand was a major format overhaul. The traditional 32-team group stage was replaced by an expanded 36-team league phase, mirroring similar structural changes in the Champions League and Europa League. This new format guarantees more matches and a more dynamic league table for fans.

Diverse Qualification Paths

Qualification for the Conference League operates through two distinct pathways: one for domestic champions and another for non-champions. These involve several qualifying rounds, ensuring a wide range of clubs from across Europe can participate and test their mettle.

The Champions Path for the Conference League is unique, specifically designed for teams eliminated from the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds. This provides a crucial second chance for clubs that might otherwise exit European competition entirely, keeping their European dream alive.

The number of teams each UEFA member association can send to the main qualification path is determined by their UEFA country coefficient ranking. This system ensures berths are distributed fairly, reflecting a nation's recent performance in European football.

Nations ranked 1-5:	1 team
Nations ranked 6-15:	2 teams
Nations ranked 16-50:	3 teams
Nations ranked 51-55:	2 teams
Liechtenstein:	The winner of the Liechtenstein Football Cup (due to no domestic league)

League Phase and Knockout Structure

In the new league phase, 36 teams compete in a single league table, with each team playing eight matches—four home and four away—against different opponents. The top eight teams from this league phase automatically qualify for the Round of 16.

Teams ranked 9th to 24th in the league phase enter a preliminary knockout play-off round. The winners of these play-offs join the top eight in the Round of 16, while lower-ranked teams and play-off losers are eliminated from the competition.

From the Round of 16 onwards, the competition reverts to a traditional knockout format, culminating in the showpiece final. All knockout matches, except for the single-leg final held at a neutral venue, are played over two legs, home and away. Matches are typically held on Thursdays.

The Financial Rewards for Participation

Participating clubs receive prize money structured similarly to UEFA's other major competitions, with fixed payments for participation and results, alongside variable amounts based on domestic TV markets. Even teams eliminated in early qualifying rounds receive financial compensation, making European football more accessible.

Qualified to League Phase:	€3,170,000
Match won in League Phase:	€400,000
Match drawn in League Phase:	€133,000
1st–8th in League Phase:	€400,000
9th–24th in League Phase:	€200,000
Round of 16:	€800,000
Quarter-finals:	€1,300,000
Semi-finals:	€2,500,000
Runners-up:	€4,000,000
Winners:	€7,000,000

Club and National Performance

Club	Winners	Runners-up	Years won	Years runner-up
Roma	1	0	2022	—
West Ham United	1	0	2023	—
Olympiacos	1	0	2024	—
Chelsea	1	0	2025	—
Crystal Palace	1	0	2026	—
Fiorentina	0	2	—	2023, 2024
Feyenoord	0	1	—	2022
Real Betis	0	1	—	2025
Rayo Vallecano	0	1	—	2026
Nation	Winners	Runners-up	Total
England	3	0	3
Italy	1	2	3
Greece	1	0	1
Spain	0	2	2
Netherlands	0	1	1

Looking at the winners by nation, England currently leads with three victories, a testament to the strength of its clubs. Italy and Greece each have one title, while Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands have also seen clubs reach the final, showcasing the competition's wide European appeal.

All-time Top Scorers (Group/League Phase to Final)

Rank	Player	Goals	Apps	Ratio	Years	Club(s) (Goals/Apps)
1	Mikael Ishak	13	22	0.59	2022–2026	Lech Poznań
2	Eran Zahavi	12	14	0.86	2022–2024	PSV Eindhoven (4/6), Maccabi Tel Aviv (8/8)
2	Arthur Cabral	12	20	0.6	2021–2023	Basel (5/6), Fiorentina (7/14)
2	Vangelis Pavlidis	12	21	0.57	2021–2023	AZ
5	Ayoub El Kaabi	11	9	1.22	2024	Olympiacos
6	Gift Orban	10	11	0.91	2023	Gent
6	Cyriel Dessers	10	13	0.77	2021–	Feyenoord
8	Tammy Abraham	9	13	0.69	2021–2022	Roma
8	Ismaïla Sarr	9	13	0.69	2025–2026	Crystal Palace
8	Hugo Cuypers	9	16	0.56	2022–2023	Gent
8	Afimico Pululu	9	19	0.47	2024–2026	Jagiellonia Białystok
8	Aleksandar Čavrić	9	20	0.45	2021–2023	Slovan Bratislava
8	Luka Jović	9	22	0.41	2022–2026	Fiorentina (6/13), AEK Athens (3/8)
8	Rolando Mandragora	9	49	0.18	2022–2026	Fiorentina

Article

UEFA Conference League

The UEFA Conference League (UECL), known simply as the Conference League, is an annual football competition organised since 2021 by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European clubs. It is the third-tier competition of European club football, ranking below the second-tier UEFA Europa League, and the first-tier UEFA Champions League.

The competition was intended as the lowest level of the UEFA Europa League and named the UEFA Europa League 2 as a working title. It was then renamed to the UEFA Europa Conference League, before its current name was adopted. Teams from lower-ranked UEFA member associations primarily contest the competition. From the 2024–25 season, the competition was rebranded to the UEFA Conference League, and the group stage was replaced with an expanded league phase of 36 teams. No teams qualify directly for the league phase; instead, the teams eliminated in the Europa League play-off round qualify, with the rest coming from the Conference League qualifying and play-off rounds.

The winner of the competition qualifies for the following season's UEFA Europa League league phase, unless qualified for the Champions League via their domestic league position. In that case, the Conference League champion has the right to choose the competition. English clubs have the most wins, with three, followed by Italy and Greece with one each. Roma were the inaugural winners of the competition, having beaten Feyenoord 1–0 in the 2022 final. The current title holders are Crystal Palace, who defeated Rayo Vallecano 1–0 in the 2026 final.

History

UEFA Conference League

The UEFA Conference League trophy on display in Rome

UEFA had reportedly considered adding a third-tier competition since at least 2015, believing that a bottom-level tournament could act as a means of giving clubs from lower-ranked UEFA member countries a chance of progressing beyond their customary elimination from the Champions League and Europa League. In mid-2018, talk of an announcement intensified, with news sources claiming an agreement had already been reached for the competition to be launched and that the 48-team Europa League group stage would be split in two, with the lower half forming the nucleus of what would be the new event.

On 2 December 2018, UEFA announced that the competition – provisionally known as "Europa League 2" or just "UEL2" – was to be launched as part of the 2021–24 three-year competition cycle, with UEFA adding that the new tournament would bring "more matches for more clubs and more associations".

The original official name of the competition, "UEFA Europa Conference League", was announced on 24 September 2019.

On 24 May 2021, UEFA revealed the competition's trophy and brand identity. The Europa Conference League Trophy stands 57.5 cm (22.6 in) tall and weighs 11 kg (24 lb).

The first goal in the then-named Europa Conference League qualifiers was scored on 6 July 2021 by Mosta player Evo Chris in a 2021–22 qualifying round match against Spartak Trnava. The first goal in the then-named Europa Conference League group stage was scored on 14 September 2021 by Maccabi Tel Aviv player Stipe Perica in a 2021–22 group stage match against Alashkert. On 30 September 2021, the competition's first hat-trick was scored by Harry Kane for Tottenham Hotspur in a group stage match against Mura. Kane came on as a 59th minute substitute at 2–1 before scoring three goals within 20 minutes of each other to finish off the game (5–1).

On 5 May 2022, Feyenoord and Roma became the first teams ever to reach the Europa Conference League final, ending with Roma being crowned the inaugural champions.

On 3 November 2022, West Ham United became the first side to win all six of their Europa Conference League group stage matches, picking up wins against FCSB, Silkeborg and Anderlecht. They went on to win the competition by defeating Fiorentina 2–1 in the 2023 final, in the process becoming the first side to finish the competition undefeated, with 12 wins and one draw.

On 28 June 2023, UEFA announced that the competition would be renamed to the UEFA Conference League from the 2024–25 season onwards. According to UEFA, removing 'Europa' from the name of the competition would enable further development as a stand-alone competition in their research amongst fans and commercial partners. In the same season, the 32-team group stage was replaced with a 36-team league phase, in line with similar changes made to the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.

In the 2024 final, Olympiacos beat Fiorentina 1–0, becoming the first Greek club to win a major European trophy.

A match between CSKA Sofia and Roma in the inaugural 2021–22 season

Trophy

UEFA Conference League

The Conference League trophy, designed by Pentagram, is made from brass, with galvanic steel and silver plating. It features 32 hexagonal columns, to represent the 32 teams in the original group stage, curving upwards in a manner intended to resemble a football curling through the air towards the goal.

Format

Qualification

Map of UEFA associations whose teams reached the group stage/league stage of the UEFA Conference League UEFA member association that has been represented in the group stage/league phase UEFA member association that has not been represented in the group stage/league phase Not a UEFA member

UEFA countries, stages reached by teams in the UEFA Conference League: UEFA member nation with winning clubs UEFA member nation with runner-up clubs UEFA member nation that has been represented in the semi-final UEFA member nation that has been represented in the round of 16 or quarter-final UEFA member nation that has been represented in the group stage or play-offs UEFA member nation that has not been represented in the group stage Not a UEFA member

Similar to the UEFA Champions League, qualification to the Conference League is split into two paths – separating champions and non-champions – and contains three rounds plus a play-off. However, unlike the Champions League, the Champions Path will only be contested by teams eliminated from Champions League qualifying and consequently relegated either directly into the Conference League or via a second relegation from the UEFA Europa League as a result of two straight eliminations.

The association ranking based on the UEFA country coefficients is used to determine the number of participating teams in main path qualification for each association:

• Nations ranked 1 to 5 have one team; • Nations ranked 6 to 15 have two teams; • Nations ranked 16 to 50 have three teams; • Nations ranked 51 to 55 have two teams; • Liechtenstein does not have a domestic league and will provide the winner of the Liechtenstein Football Cup irrespective of their coefficient ranking.

Based on this reorganisation, no association benefits from more berths to continental football than they had before the 2021–24 competition cycle, with the tournament essentially being the lower orders of the previous Europa League tournament split off into a secondary tournament.

League phase and knockout phase

The format involves a league phase and a knockout phase consisting of preliminary knockout play-offs, followed by a round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final (all of the knockout matches except the final are played over two legs). The top eight teams from the league phase receive a bye to the round of 16, while the teams ranked 9th to 24th contest the knockout play-offs with the winners advancing to the round of 16. The teams ranked 25th to 36th in the league phase and the losers of the play-offs are eliminated from the competition.

The final is played at a neutral venue. The winner of the competition is entitled to participate in the UEFA Europa League league phase the following season. The competition's matches are usually played on Thursdays.

Distribution (from 2024–25)

<table><thead><tr><th colspan="2"></th><th>Teams entering in this round</th><th>Teams advancing from previous round</th><th>Teams transferred from Champions League</th><th>Teams transferred from Europa League</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th colspan="2">First qualifying round (58 teams)</th><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="2">Second qualifying round</th><th>Champions (16 teams)</th><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>Non-champions (88 teams)</th><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="2">Third qualifying round</th><th>Champions (8 teams)</th><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>Non-champions (52 teams)</th><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="2">Play-off round</th><th>Champions (10 teams)</th><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>Non-champions (38 teams)</th><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2">League phase (36 teams)</th><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Changes will be made to the access list above if the Conference League title holder qualifies for the tournament via their domestic leagues.

• If the Conference League title holders qualify for the league phase via their domestic league's standard berth allocation, the best-ranked club in the qualifying rounds enter the league phase, without leapfrogging, then clubs of associations in the UEFA coefficient ranking are promoted to later qualifying rounds, and teams of the highest-ranked associations in earlier rounds are also promoted accordingly. • If the Conference League title holders qualify for the qualifying rounds via their domestic league, their spot in the qualifying rounds is vacated, and teams of the highest-ranked associations in earlier rounds are promoted accordingly.

Prize money

UEFA Conference League

Similar to the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, the prize money received by the clubs is divided into fixed payments based on participation and results, and variable amounts that depend on the value of their TV market.

For the 2024–25 season, League Phase participation in the Conference League was awarded a base fee of €3,170,000. A victory in the group pays €400,000 and a draw €133,000. Teams which placed in the top 8 of the League Phase earned €400,000 and progressed automatically to the Round of 16. Teams which placed between 9th and 24th qualified for the knockout round play-offs and earned €200,000. Reaching the knock-out stage triggered additional bonuses: €800,000 for the round of 16, €1,300,000 for the quarter-finals and €2,500,000 for the semi-finals. The losing finalists received €4,000,000 and the champions received €7,000,000.

• First qualifying round elimination: €150,000 + €175,000 per qualifying round played • Second qualifying round elimination: €350,000 + €175,000 per qualifying round played • Third qualifying round elimination: €550,000 + €175,000 per qualifying round played • Play-off round elimination: €750,000 + €175,000 per qualifying round played • Qualified to League Phase: €3,170,000 • Match won in League Phase: €400,000 • Match drawn in League Phase: €133,000 • 1st–8th in League Phase: €400,000 • 9th–24th in League Phase: €200,000 • Round of 16: €800,000 • Quarter-finals: €1,300,000 • Semi-finals: €2,500,000 • Runners-up: €4,000,000 • Winners: €7,000,000

Additionally, each domestic champion not qualifying for the League Phase of any tournament received an additional €260,000.

Each club that qualifies for the League Phase will also receive a bonus payment based on their league ranking. The total amount initially available for the league ranking bonus is €18,648,000 divided into 666 equal shares of €28,000. As €400,000 is available for each match played in the league phase, for every draw in the League Phase, €133,000 is unallocated and is added to the total league ranking bonus fund, increasing the value of each share. The team that finishes 1st in the League Phase receives 36 shares, with the amount of shares received falling by 1 for each subsequent position, with the 36th place team receiving a single share.

Records and statistics

Performances by club

<table><thead><tr><th>Club</th><th>Winners</th><th>Runners-up</th><th>Years won</th><th>Years runner-up</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th>Roma</th><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>2022</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>West Ham United</th><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>2023</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>Olympiacos</th><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>2024</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>Chelsea</th><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>2025</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>Crystal Palace</th><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>2026</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>Fiorentina</th><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>—</td><td>2023, 2024</td></tr><tr><th>Feyenoord</th><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>—</td><td>2022</td></tr><tr><th>Real Betis</th><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>—</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><th>Rayo Vallecano</th><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>—</td><td>2026</td></tr></tbody></table>

Performances by nation

<table><thead><tr><th>Nation</th><th>Winners</th><th>Runners-up</th><th>Total</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th> England</th><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><th> Italy</th><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><th> Greece</th><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><th> Spain</th><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><th> Netherlands</th><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr></tbody></table>

Number of participating clubs of the Conference League

The following is a list of clubs that have played in or qualified for the Conference League league phase (group stage prior to the 2024–25 season). Season in bold represents teams that qualified for the knockout phase that season. In the first three seasons, the eight group winners as well as the eight play-off winners are considered to be qualified. Starting from the 2024–25 season with the introduction of a league phase, the top eight as well as the eight play-off winners are considered to be qualified.

<table><thead><tr><th>Nation</th><th>No.</th><th>Clubs</th><th>Seasons</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td rowspan="7">Czech Republic (7)</td><td>2</td><td>Slavia Prague</td><td>2021–22, 2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Jablonec</td><td>2021–22, 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Slovácko</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Viktoria Plzeň</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Mladá Boleslav</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Sigma Olomouc</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Sparta Prague</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="6">Belgium (6)</td><td>5</td><td>Gent</td><td>2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25, 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Anderlecht</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Club Brugge</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Genk</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Cercle Brugge</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Sint-Truiden</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="6">Denmark (6)</td><td>3</td><td>Copenhagen</td><td>2021–22, 2024–25. 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Nordsjælland</td><td>2023–24, 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Randers</td><td>2021–22</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Silkeborg</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>AGF</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Midtjylland</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="6">Cyprus (6)</td><td>3</td><td>Omonia</td><td>2021–22, 2024–25, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Pafos</td><td>2024–25, 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Anorthosis</td><td>2021–22</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Apollon Limassol</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>APOEL</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>AEK Larnaca</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="6">Turkey (6)</td><td>2</td><td>İstanbul Başakşehir</td><td>2022–23, 2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Sivasspor</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Beşiktaş</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Fenerbahçe</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Samsunspor</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Trabzonspor</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="6">England (6)</td><td>1</td><td>Tottenham Hotspur</td><td>2021–22</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>West Ham United</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Aston Villa</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Chelsea</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Crystal Palace</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Brighton & Hove Albion</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="6">Germany (6)</td><td>1</td><td>Union Berlin</td><td>2021–22</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>1. FC Köln</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Eintracht Frankfurt</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>1. FC Heidenheim</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Mainz 05</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>SC Freiburg</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="5">Netherlands (5)</td><td>4</td><td>AZ</td><td>2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Feyenoord</td><td>2021–22</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Vitesse</td><td>2021–22</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Ajax</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Twente</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="5">Switzerland (5)</td><td>3</td><td>Lugano</td><td>2023–24, 2024–25, 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Basel</td><td>2021–22, 2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>St. Gallen</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Lausanne-Sport</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Thun</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="5">France (5)</td><td>1</td><td>Rennes</td><td>2021–22</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Nice</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Lille</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Strasbourg</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Monaco</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="4">Poland (4)</td><td>3</td><td>Legia Warsaw</td><td>2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Lech Poznań</td><td>2022–23, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Jagiellonia Białystok</td><td>2024–25, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Raków Częstochowa</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="4">Serbia (4)</td><td>2</td><td>Partizan</td><td>2021–22, 2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Čukarički</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>TSC</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Red Star Belgrade</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="4">Ukraine (4)</td><td>2</td><td>Zorya Luhansk</td><td>2021–22, 2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Dnipro-1</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Dynamo Kyiv</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Shakthar Donetsk</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="4">Spain (4)</td><td>1</td><td>Villarreal</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Real Betis</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Rayo Vallecano</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Getafe</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Italy (3)</td><td>4</td><td>Fiorentina</td><td>2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Roma</td><td>2021–22</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Atalanta</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Norway (3)</td><td>2</td><td>Bodø/Glimt</td><td>2021–22, 2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Molde</td><td>2022–23, 2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Brann</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Greece (3)</td><td>2</td><td>PAOK</td><td>2021–22, 2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Panathinaikos</td><td>2024–25, 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>AEK Athens</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Austria (3)</td><td>2</td><td>LASK</td><td>2021–22, 2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Rapid Wien</td><td>2024–25, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Austria Wien</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Slovenia (3)</td><td>2</td><td>Olimpija Ljubljana</td><td>2023–24, 2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Celje</td><td>2024–25, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Mura</td><td>2021–22</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Romania (3)</td><td>2</td><td>CFR Cluj</td><td>2021–22, 2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Universitatea Craiova</td><td>2025–26, 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>FCSB</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Armenia (3)</td><td>2</td><td>Noah</td><td>2024–25, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Alashkert</td><td>2021–22</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Pyunik</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Sweden (3)</td><td>2</td><td>Djurgårdens IF</td><td>2022–23, 2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>BK Häcken</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Mjällby AIF</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Israel (3)</td><td>2</td><td>Maccabi Tel Aviv</td><td>2021–22, 2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Maccabi Haifa</td><td>2021–22</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Hapoel Be'er Sheva</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Croatia (3)</td><td>1</td><td>Dinamo Zagreb</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Rijeka</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Hajduk Split</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Slovakia (2)</td><td>4</td><td>Slovan Bratislava</td><td>2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Spartak Trnava</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Finland (2)</td><td>3</td><td>HJK</td><td>2021–22, 2023–24, 2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>KuPS</td><td>2025–26, 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Scotland (2)</td><td>3</td><td>Heart of Midlothian</td><td>2022–23, 2024–25, 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Aberdeen</td><td>2023–24, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Republic of Ireland (2)</td><td>3</td><td>Shamrock Rovers</td><td>2022–23, 2024–25, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Shelbourne</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Kazakhstan (2)</td><td>2</td><td>Astana</td><td>2023–24, 2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Kairat</td><td>2021–22, 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Bosnia and Herzegovina (2)</td><td>2</td><td>Zrinjski Mostar</td><td>2023–24, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Borac Banja Luka</td><td>2024–25, 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Kosovo (2)</td><td>2</td><td>Ballkani</td><td>2022–23, 2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Drita</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Iceland (2)</td><td>2</td><td>Breiðablik</td><td>2023–24, 2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Víkingur Reykjavík</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Bulgaria (2)</td><td>2</td><td>CSKA Sofia</td><td>2021–22, 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Ludogorets Razgrad</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Latvia (2)</td><td>1</td><td>RFS</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Riga</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Lithuania (2)</td><td>1</td><td>Žalgiris</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Kauno Žalgiris</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Portugal (2)</td><td>1</td><td>Vitória de Guimarães</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Braga</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>Gibraltar (1)</td><td>3</td><td>Lincoln Red Imps</td><td>2021–22, 2025–26, 2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>Azerbaijan (1)</td><td>1</td><td>Qarabağ</td><td>2021–22</td></tr><tr><td>Estonia (1)</td><td>1</td><td>Flora</td><td>2021–22</td></tr><tr><td>Liechtenstein (1)</td><td>1</td><td>Vaduz</td><td>2022–23</td></tr><tr><td>Faroe Islands (1)</td><td>1</td><td>KÍ</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>Hungary (1)</td><td>1</td><td>Ferencváros</td><td>2023–24</td></tr><tr><td>Belarus (1)</td><td>1</td><td>Dinamo Minsk</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>Moldova (1)</td><td>1</td><td>Petrocub Hîncești</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>Northern Ireland (1)</td><td>1</td><td>Larne</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>Wales (1)</td><td>1</td><td>The New Saints</td><td>2024–25</td></tr><tr><td>Malta (1)</td><td>1</td><td>Hamrun Spartans</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>North Macedonia (1)</td><td>1</td><td>Shkëndija</td><td>2025–26</td></tr><tr><td>Albania (1)</td><td>1</td><td>Egnatia</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>Andorra (1)</td><td>1</td><td>Inter Club d'Escaldes</td><td>2026–27</td></tr><tr><td>Georgia (1)</td><td>1</td><td>Iberia 1999</td><td>2026–27</td></tr></tbody></table>

All-time top scorers

Players taking part in the 2026–27 UEFA Conference League are highlighted in bold. Players still active but not in this year's Conference League are highlighted in italics.

Group/league phase to final

The table below does not include goals scored in the qualification phase of the competition.

<table><thead><tr><th>Rank</th><th>Player</th><th>Goals</th><th>Apps</th><th>Ratio</th><th>Years</th><th>Club(s) (Goals/Apps)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><th>Mikael Ishak</th><td>13</td><td>22</td><td>0.59</td><td>2022–2026</td><td>Lech Poznań</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">2</td><th>Eran Zahavi</th><td rowspan="3">12</td><td>14</td><td>0.86</td><td>2022–2024</td><td>PSV Eindhoven (4/6), Maccabi Tel Aviv (8/8)</td></tr><tr><th>Arthur Cabral</th><td>20</td><td>0.6</td><td>2021–2023</td><td>Basel (5/6), Fiorentina (7/14)</td></tr><tr><th>Vangelis Pavlidis</th><td>21</td><td>0.57</td><td>2021–2023</td><td>AZ</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><th>Ayoub El Kaabi</th><td>11</td><td>9</td><td>1.22</td><td>2024</td><td>Olympiacos</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">6</td><th>Gift Orban</th><td rowspan="2">10</td><td>11</td><td>0.91</td><td>2023</td><td>Gent</td></tr><tr><th>Cyriel Dessers</th><td>13</td><td>0.77</td><td>2021–</td><td>Feyenoord</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="7">8</td><th>Tammy Abraham</th><td rowspan="7">9</td><td>13</td><td>0.69</td><td>2021–2022</td><td>Roma</td></tr><tr><th>Ismaïla Sarr</th><td>13</td><td>0.69</td><td>2025–2026</td><td>Crystal Palace</td></tr><tr><th>Hugo Cuypers</th><td>16</td><td>0.56</td><td>2022–2023</td><td>Gent</td></tr><tr><th>Afimico Pululu</th><td>19</td><td>0.47</td><td>2024–2026</td><td>Jagiellonia Białystok</td></tr><tr><th>Aleksandar Čavrić</th><td>20</td><td>0.45</td><td>2021–2023</td><td>Slovan Bratislava</td></tr><tr><th>Luka Jović</th><td>22</td><td>0.41</td><td>2022–2026</td><td>Fiorentina (6/13), AEK Athens (3/8)</td></tr><tr><th>Rolando Mandragora</th><td>49</td><td>0.18</td><td>2022–2026</td><td>Fiorentina</td></tr></tbody></table>

Including qualifying rounds

<table><thead><tr><th>Rank</th><th>Player</th><th>Goals</th><th>Apps</th><th>Ratio</th><th>Years</th><th>Club(s) (Goals/Apps)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><th>Arthur Cabral</th><td>21</td><td>28</td><td>0.75</td><td>2021–2023</td><td>Basel (13/12), Fiorentina (8/16)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><th>Eran Zahavi</th><td>19</td><td>24</td><td>0.79</td><td>2022–2024</td><td>PSV Eindhoven (4/6), Maccabi Tel Aviv (15/18)</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">3</td><th>Hugo Cuypers</th><td rowspan="3">16</td><td>22</td><td>0.73</td><td>2022–2023</td><td>Gent</td></tr><tr><th>Mikael Ishak</th><td>30</td><td>0.53</td><td>2022–2026</td><td>Lech Poznań</td></tr><tr><th>Vangelis Pavlidis</th><td>31</td><td>0.52</td><td>2021–2023</td><td>AZ</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">6</td><th>Gift Orban</th><td rowspan="2">14</td><td>16</td><td>0.88</td><td>2023</td><td>Gent</td></tr><tr><th>Ricardo Gomes</th><td>24</td><td>0.58</td><td>2021–2023</td><td>Partizan</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="6">8</td><th>Cyriel Dessers</th><td rowspan="6">13</td><td>16</td><td>0.81</td><td>2021–</td><td>Feyenoord (10/13), Panathinaikos (3/3)</td></tr><tr><th>Tammy Abraham</th><td>18</td><td>0.72</td><td>2021–2025</td><td>Roma (9/14), Beşiktaş (4/4)</td></tr><tr><th>Afimico Pululu</th><td>26</td><td>0.5</td><td>2021–2026</td><td>Basel (0/2), Jagiellonia Białystok (13/24)</td></tr><tr><th>Albion Rrahmani</th><td>27</td><td>0.48</td><td>2022–2026</td><td>Ballkani (9/14), Sparta Prague (4/13)</td></tr><tr><th>Amahl Pellegrino</th><td>27</td><td>0.48</td><td>2021–2023</td><td>Bodø/Glimt</td></tr><tr><th>Meriton Korenica</th><td>29</td><td>0.45</td><td>2022–2026</td><td>Ballkani (8/18), CFR Cluj (5/11)</td></tr></tbody></table>

Other records

• The 2024–25 edition victory made Chelsea the first club to win all four major European trophies, including all three of the current European competitions. They received a special UEFA award for this achievement in 2025.

• The largest single-match margin of victory in the current Conference League format is 8–0, with Chelsea's victory over FC Noah in the 2024–25 edition's league stage. • Only one club has won the competition unbeaten: West Ham, who won 12 games and drew one in the 2022–23 edition. • West Ham and Chelsea share the record for the most wins in one singular Conference League campaign, with 12 wins each in 2022–23 and 2024–25 respectively. • Chelsea scored a record of 42 goals in 13 matches in their 2024–25 winning campaign.

Awards

Player of the Season

Starting from the first edition of the competition, UEFA introduced the UEFA Conference League Player of the Season award. It was known as the UEFA Europa Conference League Player of the Season award before the renaming of the competition in 2024.

The jury is composed of the coaches of the clubs which participate in the league phase (group stage prior to 2024–25 season) of the competition, together with 55 journalists selected by the European Sports Media (ESM) group, one from each UEFA member association.

Pellegrini, the first winner of the Player of the Season award in 2022

Sinisterra, the first winner of the Young Player of the Season award in 2022

<table><thead><tr><th>Season</th><th>Player</th><th>Club</th></tr><tr><th colspan="4">UEFA Conference League Player of the Season</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2021–22</td><td>Lorenzo Pellegrini</td><td>Roma</td></tr><tr><td>2022–23</td><td>Declan Rice</td><td>West Ham United</td></tr><tr><td>2023–24</td><td>Ayoub El Kaabi</td><td>Olympiacos</td></tr><tr><td>2024–25</td><td>Isco</td><td>Real Betis</td></tr><tr><td>2025–26</td><td>Ismaïla Sarr</td><td>Crystal Palace</td></tr></tbody></table>

Young Player of the Season

UEFA also introduced the UEFA Conference League Young Player of the Season award. It was known as the UEFA Europa Conference League Young Player of the Season award before the renaming of the competition in 2024.

<table><thead><tr><th>Season</th><th>Player</th><th>Club</th></tr><tr><th colspan="4">UEFA Conference League Young Player of the Season</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2021–22</td><td>Luis Sinisterra</td><td>Feyenoord</td></tr><tr><td>2022–23</td><td>Andy Diouf</td><td>Basel</td></tr><tr><td>2023–24</td><td>Igor Thiago</td><td>Club Brugge</td></tr><tr><td>2024–25</td><td>Tobias Gulliksen</td><td>Djurgårdens IF</td></tr><tr><td>2025–26</td><td>Kees Smit</td><td>AZ</td></tr></tbody></table>

Sponsorship

UEFA Conference League

The UEFA Conference League is sponsored by international corporations, sharing the same partners as the UEFA Europa League. Among the main sponsors of the tournament for the 2024–2027 cycle are:

• Just Eat Takeaway • Laufenn • Engelbert Strauss • Swissquote • Betano • Lidl

Decathlon sub-brand, Kipsta, is the official match ball supplier from the 2024–25 season onwards for a three-year period.