The UEFA Executive Committee has decided to rename the UEFA Europa Conference League to UEFA Conference League.
The decision was taken on Wednesday at the House of European Football in Nyon as a meeting of the UEFA executives.
Introduced under the “Europa” umbrella at the start of the 2021-24 commercial cycle, the new competition has quickly established itself amongst a broad audience after two successful seasons.
Research amongst fans as well as commercial partners has found that removing “Europa” from the name of the competition will enable further development as a stand-alone competition and this proposed change was approved by the UEFA Executive Committee.
It will be effective in the new cycle, as of the 2024/25 season.
Together with the UEFA Europa League, the UEFA Conference League will continue to deliver “Thursday Night Football” to fans across Europe and beyond, a statement on the website of UEFA on Wednesday said.
It added that a strong link between the competitions will remain in place as both brand identities will remain very close, and both competitions will continue to be sold to broadcast partners and sponsors together.
Europa Conference League 2023/24 schedule
First qualifying round: 13 and 20 July 2023
Second qualifying round: 27 July and 3 August 2023
Third qualifying round: 10 and 17 August 2023
Play-offs: 24 and 31 August 2023
Match Days
Matchday 1: 21 September 2023
Matchday 2: 5 October 2023
Matchday 3: 26 October 2023
Matchday 4: 9 November 2023
Matchday 5: 30 November 2023
Matchday 6: 14 December 2023
When is the 2023/24 Europa Conference League knockout stage?
Knockout round play-offs: 15 and 22 February 2024
Round of 16: 7 and 14 March 2024
Quarter-finals: 11 and 18 April 2024
Semi-finals: 2 and 9 May 2024
Final: 29 May 2024
When are the 2023/24 Europa Conference League draws?
First qualifying round: 20 June 2023
Second qualifying round: 21 June 2023
Third qualifying round: 24 July 2023
Play-off round: 7 August 2023
Group stage: 1 September 2023
Knockout round play-off: 18 December 2023
Round of 16: 23 February 2024
Quarter-finals & Semi-finals: 15 March 2024.
The UEFA Executive Committee has appointed the Agia Sofia Stadium in Athens (AEK stadium) and Stadion Wrocław (WKS Śląsk Wrocław) for the UEFA Europa Conference League finals in 2024 and 2025 respectively.
As the stadium in Athens is brand new and never operated by AEK Athens FC in an international context, UEFA will provide expertise.
An observation period until November 2023 at matches played by AEK Athens FC in the UEFA club competition for which they will qualify, and by the Greek national team in the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifiers, has been added as a condition for the confirmation of the appointment, which would happen in December.