We have barely become more familiar with the European Conference League, and already we have to familiarise ourselves with the changes. The one that is easiest to remember is the shortening of the name, which from this summer no longer has the Europa segment. What remains is the Conference League, which is intended to help build the image of the competition associated with the green and black colours, distancing it from the Europa League.
How has the Conference League format changed?
As intended for the third tier of the European competition, the Conference League is intended to remain a tournament played mainly by teams from the lower-ranked national federations. However, as the first editions have shown, it is also a way for teams from the strongest leagues to win a valuable trophy for the showcase. After three years of operation, West Ham, AS Roma and Olympiakos have consecutively won the final.
The knockout phase of the 2024/25 edition will not undergo any significant changes, with classic two-legged matches awaiting us. Instead, the core of the Conference League - from September to the end of December - completely changes the format. Instead of 32 teams divided into eight groups, 36 teams combined in one league table will enter the competition. Every game and every goal gains in importance when there are that many teams in the game.
As it is not possible to play the league in the classic format, each team will meet six others - drawn at random from different baskets - and play three matches as the home team and three as the visiting team. This will create a table with as many as 24 of the 36 participants remaining in the game after the last round. Even the outsiders should thus have something to fight for until the very end.
The top eight will secure direct promotion to the 1/8 finals, with the next 16 teams in February 2025 playing to join them. Here comes another important change: UEFA has ended relegation to the lower competitions, so teams from the Europa League will not get a second chance in the Conference League. In all three levels of the competition, the last eight of the league table finish the continental season.
Conference League calendar 2024/25
When do the Conference League draws take place?
As no other UEFA club competition involves so many teams, the excitement of the draws for future rivals begins just after the end of the league seasons and there are as many as seven draws in total over the course of the tournament.
League phase draw - August 30th 2024
Play-off phase draw - December 20th 2024 (to be confirmed)
Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals pairing draw - February 21st 2025
All upcoming Conference League matches can be found here
When will the league phase of the Conference League take place?
Although there are as many as 36 teams in the league phase (an increase from 32 in the current group phase), the number of games played will not change for individual teams. Each will play six games - three at home and the same number away - against three opponents selected by draw.
Gameweek One - October 3rd
Gameweek Two - October 24th
Gameweek Three - November 7th
Gameweek Four - November 28th
Gameweek Five - December 12th
Gameweek Six - December 19th
When will the knockout phase of the Conference League take place?
Only after the league phase has passed will all teams revert to a match-versus-match system in which they will eliminate each other. The top eight teams in the league table will advance directly to the 1/8 finals phase and will be given more time to rest. During this time, clubs from places 9-24 will play two matches in the 1/16 final and only the winners will face the top eight in the 1/8 final.
Play-off phase - February 13th and 20th 2025
Round of 16 - March 6th and 13th 2025
Quarter-finals - April 10th and 17th 2025
Semi-finals - May 1st and 8th 2025;
Final - May 28th 2025.
Where will the 2024/25 Conference League final be?
Affectionately (and puckishly) referred to now as the Cabanos, the Wroclaw Stadium (this name will be used by UEFA) will host the grand final of the European competition for the first time in its history. UEFA does not require such large stands; the final can be hosted in arenas with audiences as large as 20,000. The capital of Lower Silesia will have twice as much at its disposal, as the capacity estimated for the Conference League match in May is 40,000.
On top of that, in a rare set-up - the Wroclaw stadium is the largest in Europe with stands built on one steep level. As a result, almost everyone, apart from the unfortunate people seated behind the roof columns, has a perfect and unobstructed view.
Opened in 2011, the stadium has already had the opportunity to host big matches, but never the final. So far, there have been three EURO 2012 group matches (including Poland-Czech Republic) and 11 other matches of the Polish national team. After its opening, the stadium was a serious burden for the local government for many years and was making losses, but in the last two seasons the popularity of Slask Wrocław football is growing, the calendar of events is filling up, a title sponsor has been found, and the green illumination used every day will fit like a glove for the Conference League final.
