Article 3 Entries for the competition - Europa Conference League

Regulations of the UEFA Europa Conference League

Content Type
Competition Regulations
Category
Clubs
Subject
UECL
Edition
2023/24
Language
English
Enforcement Date
28 June 2023
3.01

UEFA member associations (hereinafter associations) may enter the winner of their national cup competition (hereinafter domestic cup), as well as a certain number of other clubs for the competition through their top domestic championship, in accordance with the association coefficient rankings, drawn up in accordance with Annex D. These rankings also determine the associations’ positions in the access list (see Annex A), which in turn determines the stage at which each club enters the competition. Only one single team per club may be entered.

3.02

Associations are represented on the following basis (see Annex A):

  1. one representative: the club that finishes the top domestic championship immediately below the last club that qualifies for the UEFA Europa League;

  2. two representatives:

    • the two clubs that finish the top domestic championship immediately below the last club that qualifies for the UEFA Champions League; or

    • the winner of the domestic cup and the club that finishes the top domestic championship immediately below the club that qualifies for the UEFA Champions League.

  3. three representatives: the winner of the domestic cup and the two clubs that finish the top domestic championship immediately below the club that qualifies for the UEFA Champions League.

3.03

In special circumstances, the winner of another official domestic competition may be entered for the UEFA Europa Conference League in place of the lowest ranking top domestic championship representative referred to in Paragraph 3.02, provided such a competition has been approved by UEFA before the start of the season in question (see Annex A).

3.04

If the winner of the domestic cup qualifies for the UEFA Champions League via the domestic championship and therefore enters the UEFA Champions League, the following adaptations are made to the UEFA Europa Conference League (see Annex A):

  1. The access stage initially reserved for the domestic cup winner is reserved for the club that finishes the domestic championship in the highest position of all the association’s clubs that qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League.

  2. Each representative of the domestic championship then enters the UEFA Europa Conference League at the stage initially reserved for the domestic championship representative ranked immediately above it.

  3. The highest ranking domestic championship club not qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifies for the UEFA Europa Conference League at the stage initially reserved for the lowest ranking top domestic championship representative in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

3.05

If the winner of the domestic cup, qualified to the UEFA Europa Conference League, also qualifies for the UEFA Europa Conference League via the domestic championship, the following adaptations are made to the UEFA Europa Conference League (see Annex A):

  1. The access stage initially reserved for the representative of the domestic championship that qualifies as domestic cup winner to the UEFA Europa Conference League is reserved for the club that finishes the domestic championship immediately below the domestic cup winner.

  2. Each representative of the domestic championship then enters the competition at the stage initially reserved for the domestic championship representative ranked immediately above it.

  3. The highest ranking domestic championship club not qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifies for the UEFA Europa Conference League at the stage initially reserved for the lowest ranking top domestic championship representative in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

3.06

Clubs eliminated in the qualifying phase or play-offs of the UEFA Champions League and/or the UEFA Europa League are admitted to the qualifying rounds or group stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League as follows:

UEFA Champions League (UCL)

elimination stage

UEFA Europa League (UEL)

entry stage / elimination stage

UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL)

entry stage

Preliminary round of UCL champions path

2nd qualifying round of UECL champions path

1st qualifying round of UCL champions path

2nd qualifying round of UECL champions path

2nd qualifying round of UCL champions path

3rd qualifying round of UEL champions path

Play-offs of UECL champions path

3rd qualifying round of UCL champions path

Play-offs of UEL

UECL group stage

Play-offs of UCL champions path

UEL group stage

2nd qualifying round of UCL league path

3rd qualifying round of UEL main path

Play-offs of UECL main path

3rd qualifying round of UCL league path

UEL group stage

Play-offs of UCL league path

UEL group stage

3.07

In addition, the eight clubs that finish the UEFA Europa League group stage in third place are admitted to the UEFA Europa Conference League knockout round play-offs.

3.08

The UEFA Europa Conference League titleholder is admitted to the UEFA Europa League group stage. If the UEFA Europa Conference League titleholder qualifies for the UEFA Europa Conference League through one of its domestic competitions, the number of places to which its association is entitled in the UEFA Europa Conference League is decreased by one. The created vacancy is filled accordingly with priority for the UEFA Europa Conference League given to domestic cup winners (in accordance with the entry stage as per the access list).