The UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) is Europe's 3rd-tier continental club competition, after the Europa League and Champions League . It offers clubs from across Europe the chance to compete against one another, bringing lots of exciting action for the fans to enjoy.
At Stake Sportsbook , you can bet on all the UECL with the latest soccer betting odds available. Find out how in this complete guide.
What is the UEFA Europa Conference League?
The UEFA Europa Conference League is a European football club competition that runs every season. It features a total of 184 clubs, which compete in qualifiers for a chance to take part in the group stages before advancing to the knockout matches.
Unlike the other UEFA club competitions, there’s no direct qualification to the group stage. Instead, teams enter the playoffs for qualification based on their league position or drop down after being eliminated from the Europa League playoffs.
All teams that play in UEFA member association leagues have an opportunity to compete, and winning the tournament will automatically qualify them for the Europa League in the following season.
History of the Europa Conference League
The Europa Conference League was introduced in the 2021-22 season after the Europa League group stage was reduced to 32 teams from 48. Plans for a 3rd-tier European competition had been in the works for several years, with UEFA hoping to give smaller clubs a chance to progress in continental competition and provide an alternative route to qualification for the next season of the Europa League.
UEFA officially revealed the competition, trophy and name in May 2021, with the first soccer games played later that summer. Roma became the inaugural tournament winner in May 2022, lifting the trophy for the first time ever. In 2023, UEFA announced that the competition would be known simply as the UEFA Conference League from the 2024-25 season onwards.
Which Teams Play in the Europa Conference League?
Some of the teams likely to play in this season’s Conference League include:
Chelsea - 1st time in the competition. Has won 2 CLs and 2 ELs.
Fiorentina - Conference League runners-up in the last 2 seasons.
Heidenheim - 1st appearance in any of the European competitions.
Lens - Previous semi-finalists of the Europa League.
Real Betis - Has yet to win any of the European trophies.
Format & Schedule of the 2024–25 Europa Conference League
The Conference League features a qualification stage, league stage and knockout stage which culminates in the final match to declare the champions. There are 3 qualifying rounds, and the point at which a team enters this stage is determined by their league position or domestic cup success and the ranking of their association.
Clubs from the biggest soccer leagues are most likely to qualify for the second or first-tier competitions but have a chance to play in the Conference League if they miss out.
Teams may also enter the qualification stage by being eliminated from the Champions League or Europa League qualification. The resulting 36 teams that pass through qualification will enter the league.
1st qualifying round: 11 & 18 July 2024
2nd qualifying round: 25 July & 1 August 2024
3rd qualifying round: 8 & 15 August 2024
Play-offs: 22 & 29 August 2024
For the competitive league stage, each team will play 3 matches at home and 3 away against 6 different teams. The top eight, based on points and goal difference, will automatically progress to the next round, while the 9th to 24th placed teams will enter a play-off. The resulting 16 teams will meet in the knockout stages.
League stage begins: 3 October 2024
Final day of league stage: 19 December 2024
Knockout round play-offs: 13 & 20 February 2025
Once the knockouts begin, only 1 team can progress. Teams play a home and away fixture, with the aggregate score used to determine the winner over both ties. If the scores are still level after regulation time, the game will go to extra time and penalties. Eventually, 2 teams are left and compete in the final at Stadion Wroclaw in Wroclaw, Poland.
Round of 16: 6 & 13 March 2025
Quarter-finals: 10 & 17 April 2025
Semi-finals: 1 & 8 May 2025
Final: 28 May 2025
If you want to find out more about how to bet on soccer , you can find all the details in our full guide or over on our sports blog . Placing sports bets is pretty straightforward, but there are lots of different types of soccer bets. Here are some of the most popular Europa Conference League betting markets at soccer betting sites:
Live Stream the Europa Conference League & Live Soccer Betting
You never have to miss out on all the excitement and drama of the Conference League, thanks to our live streams. As long as you’re signed into your account, you’ll be able to open up any of the matches and view a live stream when the game is in progress.
Of course, there’s live soccer betting too, so you can place bets while you watch. Our odds update instantly, and live stats provide better insights into what’s happening even if you’re not watching the game.
Europa Conference League Betting Odds & Payouts
Before you start placing bets on any of the Conference League matches, it’s important to understand odds and how they affect payouts. You can find out more in our detailed sports betting guide , but here’s a quick example of betting odds:
Decimal: To work out how much you’d get back from a winning bet, simply multiply your stake by the number. So if Olympiakos are 1.6 to win their next match and you bet $10, you’d receive $16 if they won. That’s $6 profit and your $10 original stake.
Fractional: Calculate the profit of a winning bet by multiplying the numerator (the left-hand number in the fraction) by your stake and dividing by the denominator (the right-hand number in the fraction). So if you bet $10 on Astana at 5/2, you’d make $25 profit if they win.
American: If the odds use a - sign, it tells you how much you’d need to bet to win $100 in profit. If the sign in front of the odds is +, the number is how much profit you’d make if you bet $100 and it wins.
Europa Conference League Betting Tips, Predictions & Strategies
Whenever you’re betting on soccer or any sport, it’s important to be sensible and avoid betting more than you can afford to lose. Betting always comes with risks, and you should take care to manage those properly and bet responsibly . Here are some additional tips to help you succeed when betting on the Conference League:
Research each bet - Don’t just bet on the team you want to win. Make sure you check all the stats, including the latest team news and current form. Look at the wide range of betting markets to find value based on the odds and probability.
How much does the competition mean to each club? - Stronger teams playing in the biggest leagues may not prioritise the Conference League, as it’s a third-tier tournament. As a result, key players may be rested, especially when there are important domestic fixtures coming up.
Make the most of betting promotions - The sports betting promotions like the match bonus offer at Stake offer great rewards for signing up, making deposits and placing bets. There’s a VIP Club too, helping you get more out of your bets on any upcoming game.
