UEFA Europa Conference League

Is the UEFA Europa League Conference an unlikely stroke of genius?

It may seem a somewhat romantic or perhaps naive notion, but it feels that UEFA’s latest project could stir some sort of genuine revolution in the upper echelons of the European game. Moreover, Feyenoord’s appearance in Tirana was only the third time in seven years that a club from outside Spain, Germany, England, France, or Italy was involved in a major European final—that equates to an 11% rate of representation. Furthermore, the quality and spectacle of the fledgling Conference League has also strengthened the case for its existence. For example, Celtic, whose Lisbon Lions roared to a famous European Cup triumph in 1967, have failed to progress past the Round of 16 stage since the Champions League was rebranded, although did register a UEFA Cup Final appearance in 2003. No side east of Germany has lifted a major European trophy in the last decade, with Shakhtar Donetsk’s Europa League triumph in 2009 the latest accolade in this regard. Although, even accounting for this significant cash injection, this group can only hope to hang onto the coattails of those sides affiliated with the ‘elite’ leagues of England, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy. In year one, the Conference League served to boost the number of represented nations in UEFA club tournaments by 20%, with 36 active member associations as opposed to the 30 generated by the Champions League and Europa League in season 2020/21. The greatest benefit the UEFA Europa Conference League has provided is undoubtedly the platform it has given to those located in Europe’s footballing outposts. Moreover, those belonging to the lowest-ranked leagues, such as outfits competing in the Estonian, Andorran, and Welsh top divisions, are given two places—a relative coup in the context of previous years. [Premier League](https://www.footballparadise.com/american-culture-premier-league-structure/), Serie A, Bundesliga, LaLiga and Ligue 1—has had severe repercussions on the breadth of representation in the Champions League and Europa League, with the latter stages of either tournament often purely composed of clubs from this domineering cartel. UEFA’s challenge in this regard was made all the more difficult given FIFA’s decision to land the World Cup slap bang in the middle of most of its associate members’ respective league seasons. Nevertheless, even the most ardent critics of Europe’s governing body would concede that it’s unlikely that the instalment of a third tournament—with all the complexities and added organisation this entails—would be created exclusively under the pretence of protecting profits and legitimising UEFA’s position.