Europa League vs Conference League: How UEFA's Second and Third Tiers Work
The Europa League is UEFA's second club competition and the Conference League its third. Both sit below the Champions League, both now open with a 36-club league phase, and both lead into two-legged knockout rounds and a one-off final. The main differences are the level of the clubs, the number of league phase matches (eight in the Europa League, six in the Conference League) and the prize at the end: the Europa League winner earns a place in the next Champions League, while the Conference League winner moves up to the next Europa League.
The three tiers side by side
| Champions League | Europa League | Conference League | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier | First | Second | Third |
| Clubs in the league phase | 36 | 36 | 36 |
| League phase matches per club | 8 | 8 | 6 |
| Usual matchnights | Tuesday and Wednesday | Thursday | Thursday |
| Winner's reward | The trophy and a place in the next edition | A place in the next Champions League | A place in the next Europa League |
The top competition has its own explainer on how the Champions League works; this piece concentrates on the two Thursday competitions.
How the Europa League works
The Europa League mirrors the Champions League structure on a slightly smaller stage. Clubs are drawn from four pots, and each plays eight different opponents, four at home and four away, in a single table. The top eight go directly to the round of 16; the clubs placed ninth to 24th meet in a two-legged play-off round; the rest are eliminated. After that come the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals over two legs, and a single final.
Entry comes through domestic performance. Depending on the country, a place may go to a national cup winner or to a club finishing just below the Champions League spots. Clubs knocked out of Champions League qualifying in the summer can also drop into the Europa League. Under the old format, third-placed teams from the Champions League groups joined the Europa League knockouts in February; that route no longer exists.
How the Conference League works
The Conference League began in the 2021-22 season to give clubs from a wider spread of countries a realistic chance of European football beyond the summer. Its league phase is shorter: six matches per club against six different opponents, three at home and three away. The cut-offs that follow are the same as in the other two competitions, with the top eight through, ninth to 24th into a play-off round and the bottom 12 out.
Many participants come from smaller leagues, and a long qualifying path runs through July and August. Clubs from bigger leagues usually arrive via a lower league finish or, in some countries, a secondary domestic cup.
Why the gaps between tiers matter
- Squad rotation. Clubs also chasing domestic honours sometimes rest players on Thursdays, especially early in the league phase.
- Travel. The Conference League in particular can mean long trips to unfamiliar grounds, followed by a domestic fixture three days later.
- Uneven fields. Either competition can include a handful of clubs whose budgets dwarf those of their opponents, which pulls outright prices towards a few names.
- Motivation. For some clubs a deep run is the season's main goal; for others it competes with a league campaign for attention.
None of these is a law of football. They are simply reasons why domestic form does not always carry over neatly into European nights.
UEFA coefficients in brief
Results in all three competitions earn coefficient points. National association coefficients, calculated over five seasons, decide how many European places each country receives, while club coefficients feed into seeding and pots. Because the Europa League and Conference League award points too, a good run by a club from a mid-ranked league can help its whole country earn more places in later seasons. That is why these competitions can matter to an entire league, not only to the clubs taking part.
Betting markets on the lower tiers
The menu largely matches the Champions League's: match results, totals, outright winners, top-eight finishes and stage of elimination. Outrights here behave like other futures bets, with prices spread across dozens of clubs and the operator's margin built into every one. Information on smaller clubs can be thinner, which cuts both ways: less coverage for the public, and more caution from operators, who often apply lower limits to such matches. The general principles in our overview of sports betting apply here as anywhere else.
Can a club play in two of the competitions in one season?
Yes, but only by moving down during qualifying. A club eliminated in Champions League or Europa League qualifying can continue in a lower competition. Once the league phases start, there is no further movement between them.
Is the Conference League the old Intertoto Cup under a new name?
No. The Intertoto Cup was a summer competition that fed clubs into the old UEFA Cup and was discontinued after 2008. The Conference League runs for a full season and has its own final.
Why are the games on Thursdays?
The calendar keeps the second and third tiers away from the Champions League's Tuesday and Wednesday slots for most of the season. The two Thursday competitions then share the night through staggered kick-off times.
Thursday football is worth watching for its own sake. If you choose to bet on it, do so as an adult with a sum you are comfortable losing, and check whether betting is legal in your area before you start.
