Read all about the newest of the European club competitions, the UEFA Conference League, and check for all the latest odds and predictions.
The fourth edition of the Conference League, previously known as the Europa Conference League, is being held this season and, alongside the more prestigious European trophies, this competition also had a makeover for this year. There was a league phase in the new structure, which replaced the group stage. Unlike the Champions and Europa Leagues, there was no automatic passage into this new league phase. Every team had to play at least one qualifying round to pass to the league phase.
Roma were the first team to win this competition when they defeated Feyenoord in the 2022 final. A year later, West Ham were the victors, with Fiorentina finishing runners-up. Last season, Olympiacos became the first ever Greek side to win a major European trophy, with Fiorentina once again the losing finalists.
Chelsea and Real Betis will contest the 2025 Conference League final. The English side are looking to become the first side to win each of the main European competitions.
Conference League Final
Wednesday, 28th May. 19:00 GMT, Stadion Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland.
🇪🇸 Real Betis 🆚 Chelsea 🏴
Conference League Final: betting odds
4.60 Real Betis
3.55 Draw
1.83 Chelsea
The above prices apply to 90 minutes of play plus injury time only. Extra time and/or penalty shootouts do not count. The odds are correct as of 14:00 GMT on 15/05/2025 but are subject to change thereafter.
Conference League Final: to win the trophy
2.84 Real Betis
1.37 Chelsea
The above prices apply to who wins the Conference League, irrespective of whether or not the match goes to extra time. The odds are correct as of 14:00 GMT on 15/05/2025, but are subject to change thereafter.
Who will win the 2025 Conference League?
The second of the three European club cup finals, the Conference League, will take place on Wednesday, 28th May, at the Stadion Wrocław in Wrocław, Poland.
This competition is still in its infancy as a tournament, and this will only be the fourth Conference League final ever to have taken place. West Ham won the title in 2023, so Chelsea will be looking to emulate their EPL rivals and become the second English winner of this tournament. Meanwhile, Real Betis will be Spain’s first representative in a Conference League final. This season’s match also marks the first time an Italian side has not reached the final.
Both Chelsea and Betis are currently contesting for a Champions League place in their respective divisions, although by the time the Conference League final starts, the final domestic league standings will have been determined.
Chelsea were favourites to win the 2024/25 Conference League before a ball was kicked—a position that was cemented after the Blues won all six of their league-phase matches to finish top of the table. However, it could have been a calamitous start for Chelsea, as they only scraped past Servette 3-2 on aggregate in the qualifying playoffs.
Conference League statistics
- Chelsea’s 8-0 win over Noah in Matchday 3 is the biggest winning margin in the history of the Conference League.
- If Chelsea win the final, they will be the first team to win each of the main European club competitions.
- The West London side have previously won six European titles, with two wins in each of the Champions League, Europa League and Cup Winners’ Cup.
- In the league phase, the matches involving Real Betis only featured 11 goals (6 scored by Betis, 5 conceded). That was the joint lowest total of all 36 teams.
- Prior to this season, Real Betis had never progressed beyond the quarter-finals of a European tournament, which is a stage they have only reached twice.
- The last quarter-final appearance for Betis was in the 1997/98 Cup Winners’ Cup. On that occasion, they also faced Chelsea but lost 5-2 on aggregate.
Conference League predictions: analysis of the teams
Chelsea’s expensively assembled squad have always seemed the likely winners of this competition. Despite playing many of their fringe players in the early matches, the Blues cruised through the league stage without breaking sweat. Now, with more experienced players to call on, the London side are a short price to win the trophy. Betis started this competition slowly by losing two of their opening four league-stage matches. However, back-to-back 1-0 victories in their final two league-stage matches ensured the Spanish side qualified for the knockout phase. Here, we’ll take a closer look at each side and review their strengths and weaknesses, so you can make an informed decision when making your Conference League final predictions.
Real Betis: can Spain provide the Conference League winner?
Real Betis made hard work of getting through the league phase of this competition and also made an average start in LaLiga. A poor run left them in the bottom half of the LaLiga table after Gameweek 23, before a run of nine wins from their next 12 matches saw them pushing for a top-six finish. That good run, which started in mid-February, coincided with their improved form in the knockout phase of the Conference League. Their semi-final against Fiorentina proved a tough match, with both sides winning their home ties 2-1 before Betis progressed with an extra-time winner in the second leg. Abde Ezzalzouli and Antony each scored in both legs of the semi-final for Manuel Pellegrini’s side.
Chelsea: Conference League favourites
After a stuttering start against Servette in the qualifying round, Chelsea won every league-phase match to finish on top of the table. Each of their six victories were by a two-goal margin or greater and, in the knockout rounds, the Blues also progressed from each round with aggregate wins of two goals or more.
However, this match against Real Betis will be their toughest test so far in this year’s tournament. Chelsea’s last two European successes were both against fellow English sides (Manchester City in the 2021 Champions League and Arsenal in the 2019 Europa League). The only time Chelsea have faced Spanish opposition in a final was in the 1970/71 Cup Winners’ Cup, when they played Real Madrid. That final ended in a 1-1 draw, with Chelsea winning the replay 2-1.
Real Betis: key players
The choice of goalkeeper will be an interesting one between 38-year-old Adrián and Fran Vieites. Adrián played in all the league-stage matches, whilst Vieites has played in all the knockout rounds. Adrián is currently the goalkeeper of choice in LaLiga, so it will be fascinating to see if he gets the nod for the final.
Brazilian Natan has been a stalwart of the Betis defence during this tournament. The solid centre-back, who is currently on loan from Napoli, will have played the most minutes of any player in this season’s Conference League by the time the tournament concludes.
The experienced Isco will pull the strings in midfield. After a disappointing short spell with Sevilla, which followed nine years at Real Madrid, the 33-year-old has found a new lease of life at Betis. He will be ably supported by another player who has found a resurgence in form, Antony. The Brazilian struggled at Manchester United but, since moving to Spain on loan in January, he has scored eight times in 22 appearances. Giovani Lo Celso is another player with experience in the EPL, having spent five years at Tottenham, although the Argentinian midfielder is not a guaranteed starter.
Cédric Bakambu is likely to lead the attacking threat, having already scored seven times in his 13 Conference League appearances so far this season. Winger Abde Ezzalzouli is next in the scoring table for Betis, with five goals to his name.
Chelsea: key players
It will be interesting to see the Chelsea starting XI for the final, as Enzo Maresca has made use of his large squad by fielding many fringe and youth players so far in this tournament. However, with European silverware at stake, it’s likely that the Italian manager will go with a more experienced line-up. Cole Palmer was not included in the squad for the league phase of this tournament, but has been involved in the knockout rounds, whilst players such as Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández have often been rotated and not played the full match.
Filip Jørgensen has been the goalkeeper of choice in this competition, and he has started 13 of the Blues’ 14 matches so far. In defence, Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoît Badiashile have both seen far more game time in this tournament that they have in the EPL.
In midfield, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has played in all 14 matches so far, whilst young forward Tyrique George has been involved in 13 matches.
Chelsea’s leading scorers in the competition so far have been Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu. However, both players have been sidelined for a while with injuries, although at the time of writing it’s hoped they’ll both be in contention for a place in the final. Striker Nicolas Jackson will be available and rested after sitting out the last two EPL matches through suspension.
Real Betis v Chelsea: head-to-head statistics
These sides have met four times previously. They were paired in the same group in the 2005/06 Champions League. On that occasion, Chelsea, managed by José Mourinho, won the home match 4-0 before losing 1-0 in Spain. Prior to that, these sides met in the quarter-finals of the 1997/98 Cup Winners’ Cup. Chelsea won both legs of that match—2-1 in Seville and 3-1 at Stamford Bridge—on their way to beating Stuttgart 1-0 in the final.
Real Betis vs Chelsea: Conference League statistics
The following table shows the comparison between the finalists based on this season’s Conference League results:
| Real Betis | Statistics | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Matches Played | 14 |
| 9 | Victories | 12 |
| 4 | Draws | 0 |
| 3 | Losses | 2 |
| 27 | Goals scored | 41 |
| 12 | Goals conceded | 11 |
| 7 | Clean sheets | 6 |
| 267 (100) | Shots (on target) | 244 (111) |
| 4-0 (Vitória Guimarães) | Biggest win | 8-0 (Noah) |
| 2-1 (Mladá Boleslav) | Biggest loss | 2-1 (Servette/Legia Warsaw) |
| 30 | Yellow cards | 19 |
| 2 | Red cards | ` |
Conference League betting tips
The three previous Conference League finals have all been tight affairs, with none of the showpiece matches being settled by more than a single goal. Olympiacos won last year’s final with the only goal in the match, which was scored with four minutes of extra-time remaining. West Ham also left it late in the 2022/23 final, when Jarrod Bowen scored the decisive goal in the 90th minute of that 2-1 victory.
José Mourinho made history when his Roma side became the first ever winners of the Conference League by defeating Feyenoord 1-0 in the 2022 final. Roma’s winning goal from Nicolò Zaniolo is the only goal that was scored in the first half in any of the three Conference League finals.
Popular bets on the Conference League Final
Who do you think will win the Conference League final? Are you ready to place your bets?
You’ll find a wide range of different options available with Marathonbet, both on the pre-match markets and also once the in-play betting begins.
Although, when making your bets, please consider that most of the betting markets on the final apply to what happens during the 90 minutes of play (plus allowance for stoppages) of normal time.
Markets that include extra-time and penalty shootouts (if they are played) are outright bets on the Conference League winner, as well as bets on how the match will be won (see the odds in the table below).
Markets based on how many goals will be scored in the match, the exact score of the match, handicap betting, and so on, will exclude extra-time and penalty shootouts.
There are different options if you want to be on either Real Betis or Chelsea to win:
Betting on the 1X2 market (90 minutes)
4.60 Real Betis
3.55 Draw
1.83 Chelsea
or
Betting on the outright winner (includes any extra-time and/or penalty shootouts)
2.84 Real Betis
1.37 Chelsea
As you can see, the outright winner prices are lower, but in this market you will win your bet if your selected team proves victorious after a drawn match at 90 minutes. The market you choose will reflect the level of risk you wish to take.
Here’s the full list of odds available on how the match will be decided:
| Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Extra Time | 3.55 |
| Penalty Shootout | 6.26 |
| UEFA Conference League Winner in Normal Time – Either Team | 1.31 |
| UEFA Conference League Winner in Normal Time – Real Betis | 4.60 |
| UEFA Conference League Winner in Normal Time – Chelsea | 1.83 |
| UEFA Conference League Winner in Extra Time – Either Team | 6.90 |
| UEFA Conference League Winner in Extra Time – Real Betis | 11.50 |
| UEFA Conference League Winner in Extra Time – Chelsea | 10.25 |
| UEFA Conference League Winner by Penalty Shootout – Either Team | 6.25 |
| UEFA Conference League Winner by Penalty Shootout – Real Betis | 11.75 |
| UEFA Conference League Winner by Penalty Shootout – Chelsea | 11.75 |
Where is the Conference League Final 2024/25 being held?
The final will be held on the 28th of May 2025 at the Stadion Wrocław in Wrocław, Poland.
The stadium is the home ground of Śląsk Wrocław; however, any hopes the Polish side had of playing in a final on their home ground were ended when they lost to St. Gallen in the third qualifying round.
The Stadion Wrocław opened in 2011 and has a capacity of just over 45,000. It hosted three matches when Poland co-hosted Euro 2012.
Both of the finalists have already played in Poland in this year’s tournament. Real Betis lost 1-0 away to Legia Warsaw in the league phase and drew 1-1 against Jagiellonia Białystok in the second leg of their quarter-final. Meanwhile, Chelsea enjoyed their previous visit to Poland when they defeated Legia Warsaw 3-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final encounter.
Spanish clubs vs English clubs in European competition finals
The list below shows the five most recent occasions on which a Spanish team faced an English team in a European final. The Spanish side were successful in all five of these finals.
2021: Villarreal 1-1 Manchester United (Europa League: Stadion Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland)
*Villarreal won 11-10 on penalties
2018: Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool (Champions League: Olympic Stadium, Kyiv, Ukraine)
2016: Sevilla 3-1 Liverpool (Europa League: St. Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland)
2011: Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United (Champions League: Wembley Stadium, London, England)
2010: Atlético Madrid 2-1 Fulham (Europa League: Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany)
Route to the final: Real Betis
Qualifying round
| Round | Opponent | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoffs | Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih | 2-0 (a) | 3-0 (h) | 5-0 |
League phase
| Opponent | Result |
|---|---|
| Legia Warsaw (a) | 0-1 |
| FC København (h) | 1-1 |
| Celje (h) | 2-1 |
| Mladá Boleslav (a) | 1-2 |
| Petrocub (a) | 1-0 |
| HJK (h) | 1-0 |
Knockout phase
| Round | Opponent | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoffs | Gent | 3-0 (a) | 0-1 (h) | 3-1 |
| Round of 16 | Vitória Guimarães | 2-2 (h) | 4-0 (a) | 6-2 |
| Quarter-finals | Jagiellonia Białystok | 2-0 (h) | 1-1 (a) | 3-1 |
| Semi-Finals | Fiorentina | 2-1 (h) | 2-2 (a) | 4-3* |
Route to the final: Chelsea
Qualifying round
| Round | Opponent | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoffs | Servette | 2-0 (h) | 1-2 (h) | 3-2 |
League phase
| Opponent | Result |
|---|---|
| Gent (h) | 4-2 |
| Panathinaikos (a) | 4-1 |
| Noah (h) | 8-0 |
| Heidenheim (a) | 2-0 |
| Astana (a) | 3-1 |
| Shamrock Rovers (h) | 5-1 |
Knockout phase
| Round | Opponent | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoffs | Bye | |||
| Round of 16 | FC København | 2-1 (a) | 1-0 (h) | 3-1 |
| Quarter-finals | Legia Warsaw | 3-0 (a) | 1-2 (h) | 4-2 |
| Semi-Finals | Djurgården | 4-1 (a) | 1-0 (h) | 5-1 |
Conference League: semi-finals
The teams who were eliminated at the semi-final stage were:
• Fiorentina
• Djurgården
Conference League: quarter-finals
The four teams who were eliminated at the quarter-final stage were:
• Jagiellonia Białystok
• Legia Warsaw
• Rapid Wien
• Celje
Conference League: round of 16
The eight teams who were eliminated in the round of 16 were:
• Cercle Brugge
• Pafos
• Lugano
• Borac Banja Luka
• FC København
• Panathinaikos
• Molde
• Vitória Guimarães
Three of those sides were classed as ‘seeded’ teams in the round of 16 after finishing in the top-eight places in the league phase: Cercle Brugge, Lugano and Vitória Guimarães.
Conference League: knockout round
The first knockout round has now concluded. The eight teams who have progressed to the round of 16, and who join the top-eight finishers from the league stage, are:
• FC København
• Borac Banja Luka
• Pafos
• Real Betis
• Celje
• Jagiellonia Białystok
• Panathinaikos
• Molde
The teams who exited the Conference League at this stage included Heidenheim, Omonia Nicosia and Gent.
Conference League: league stage
The league stage of the Conference League has now concluded.
The top eight teams in the standings progressed directly to the round of 16 as seeded teams, whilst those teams that finished in positions nine to 24 played in the knockout phase playoffs.
The top eight finishers were:
- Chelsea
- Vitória Guimarães
- Fiorentina
- Rapid Wien
- Djurgården
- Lugano
- Legia Warsaw
- Cercle Brugge
What is the new format for the Conference League?
The format for this season’s Conference League is changing, with a single 36-team league stage replacing what used to be the group stage. Each team will play matches against six different teams, three at home and four away.
The 36 teams will be comprised of:
- 5 winners from the play-off round (Champions Path)
- 19 winners from the play-off round (Main Path)
- 12 teams eliminated from the Europa League playoff round
How do teams qualify from the league phase of the Conference League?
- The top eight sides in the league phase will qualify for the knockout phase and move directly into the round of 16.
- The sides finishing in 9th to 24th place will compete in a two-legged playoff round to determine the other eight teams to qualify for the round of 16.
- Those sides finishing in 25th or lower will be eliminated.
What happens to the winner of Conference League?
This year’s winners will gain a place in the league stage of next season’s Europa League, provided they have not already qualified for the Champions League through their domestic league placing. The winner of the Conference League will receive €5,000,000 in prize money, whilst the runner up receives €3,000,000.
Can teams drop from the Europa League to the Conference League?
In previous season’s, the teams who finished third in the Europa League groups were then transferred to the Conference League. With both competitions now having a league stage, rather than a group stage, that will no longer happen, and the teams finishing in the bottom-eight places in the league phase of the Europa League will be eliminated from all European competitions.
However, the 12 teams eliminated from the Europa League playoff round will move directly into the league phase of the Conference League.
Has the name of the Conference League changed?
For the start of the 2024/25 tournament, the competition has been rebranded as the UEFA Conference League. In previous seasons, it was known as the Europa Conference League.
UEFA Conference League schedule (2024/25)
Playoff round
First leg: 20th– 22nd August, Second leg: 28th – 29th August ✅
League phase
Draw date: 30th August ✅
Matchday 1: 3rd October ✅
Matchday 2: 24th October ✅
Matchday 3: 7th November ✅
Matchday 4: 28th November ✅
Matchday 5: 12th December ✅
Matchday 6: 19th December ✅
Knockout phase
Draw date: 20th December ✅
Knockout rounds playoffs: First leg: 13th February ✅, Second Leg: 20th February ✅
Draw date for round of 16 onwards: 21st February ✅
Round of 16: First leg: 6th March ✅, Second Leg: 13th March ✅
Quarter-finals: First leg: 10th April ✅, Second Leg: 17th April ✅
Semi-finals: First leg: 1st May ✅, Second Leg: 8th May ✅
Final: 28th May
Which teams competed in the league phase of the Conference League?
The 36 teams who contested the league stage were:
- Chelsea (England)
- Fiorentina (Italy) ❌
- Real Betis (Spain)
- Heidenheim (Germany) ❌
- Gent (Belgium) ❌
- Cercle Brugge (Belgium) ❌
- Vitória Guimarães (Portugal) ❌
- FC København (Denmark) ❌
- Panathinaikos (Greece) ❌
- LASK (Austria) ❌
- Rapid Wien (Austria) ❌
- İstanbul Başakşehir (Turkey) ❌
- Molde (Norway) ❌
- Legia Warsaw (Poland) ❌
- Jagiellonia Białystok (Poland) ❌
- Djurgården (Sweden) ❌
- Mladá Boleslav (Czech Republic) ❌
- Lugano (Switzerland) ❌
- St. Gallen (Switzerland) ❌
- APOEL (Cyprus) ❌
- Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus) ❌
- Pafos (Cyprus) ❌
- HJK (Finland) ❌
- Astana (Kazakhstan) ❌
- Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia) ❌
- Celje (Slovenia) ❌
- Hearts (Scotland) ❌
- Bačka Topola (Serbia) ❌
- The New Saints (Wales) ❌
- Dinamo Minsk (Belarus) ❌
- Víkingur Reykjavík (Iceland) ❌
- Borac Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina) ❌
- Shamrock Rovers (Republic of Ireland) ❌
- Larne (Northern Ireland) ❌
- Noah (Armenia) ❌
- Petrocub (Moldova) ❌
❌ = eliminated
Previous European competition highlights for the teams contesting the league phase
Chelsea (England)
It comes as no surprise that Chelsea are clear favourites for the 2024/25 Conference League given the quality and strength of their squad, as well as the six European titles to their name. Their most recent trophy came as a result of a 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the 2020/21 Champions League final. Prior to that, Chelsea also beat English opposition to take the Europa League title in 2019 by claiming a 4-1 win over Arsenal. However, judging by the playoff round, it won’t all be plain sailing for the Blues. A 2-0 home victory over Servette was followed by a 2-1 defeat in Switzerland, and Chelsea can count themselves slightly fortunate, as their opponents spurned several chances to level the tie.
Fiorentina (Italy)
The Italian side are one of the favourites to win the Conference League this season after being the defeated finalists in both of the last two years (losing to West Ham and Olympiacos respectively). However, they were given a mighty scare by Puskás Academy in the playoff round, as they drew both legs and then scraped through 5-4 via a penalty shootout. Fiorentina reached the final in their first European competition, the 1956/57 European Cup, but were defeated 2-0 by Real Madrid. In total, they have reached six European finals, with their solitary success coming in the 1960/61 Cup Winners’ Cup final against Rangers.
Real Betis (Spain)
Real Betis have had limited success in European competitions. Following a quarter-final appearance in their first tournament, the 1977/78 Cup Winners’ Cup, their best placing has been four round-of-16 finishes. The most recent of these was a 5-1 aggregate loss to Manchester United in the 2022/23 Europa League. They did qualify for last season’s Europa League group stage, but could only finish third and earn a transfer to the Conference League playoff round, where they lost to Dinamo Zagreb. This season’s Conference League playoff was a more straightforward affair, with a 5-0 aggregate win over Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih.
Heidenheim (Germany)
Representing Germany, Heidenheim are interesting contenders who are making their first appearance in European football. The 2023/24 season was the first time Heidenheim had ever played in the top-flight of German football, finishing in eighth place in the Bundesliga. However, with Bayer Leverkusen winning the DFB-Pokal, that opened up a European qualifying place for Heidenheim. They defeated the Swedish side BK Häcken 5-3 on aggregate in the playoff round, winning both the home and away legs. The Conference League draw has given them a mouthwatering home tie with Chelsea on Matchday 4.
Gent (Belgium)
Gent needed an injury time equaliser, followed by an extra-time winner, to get past Silkeborg in the third qualifying round of this competition, after which two 1-0 wins over Partizan Belgrade earned then a place in the league phase. The Belgian side have competed in the group stage in all three Conference League competitions, winning their group once and finishing second on the other two occasions. Their best overall finish was in the 2022/23 season, when they lost to West Ham in the quarter-finals.
Cercle Brugge (Belgium)
Cercle Brugge are making only their fourth appearance in a European competition—a sequence spread over a period of 39 years. This season is the only time they have progressed through the qualifying stages, although they initially started in the Europa League qualifiers. In those matches, Cercle Brugge defeated Kilmarnock but were then eliminated by Molde. That sent the Belgian side into the Conference League playoff round, where they featured in a remarkable tie against Polish side Wisła Kraków. They must have thought they had sealed the tie with a 6-1 victory in Poland, only to feel a few nerves as they lost the home leg 4-1.
Vitória Guimarães (Portugal)
Vitória Guimarães have previously qualified four times for the group stage of the UEFA Cup/Europa League, but are yet to qualify beyond that stage. They can boast a quarter-final appearance in the 1986/87 UEFA Cup, back before group stages had been introduced. In their most recent Europa League campaign in 2019/20, Vitória Guimarães did achieve a goalless draw at home to Arsenal and only lost narrowly by a score of 3-2 at the Emirates. They have progressed through three rounds this season without conceding a goal to reach the league stage of the Conference League, with aggregate victories of 5-0 against both Floriana and FC Zürich, and a 7-0 triumph over Zrinjski Mostar.
FC København (Denmark)
Since their formation in 1992, FC København have appeared in every European competition except one. Last season, they qualified from the Champions League group stage for just the second time, in which they claimed a 4-3 home victory over Manchester United, a 0-0 draw at Bayern Munich and a home win and away draw against Galatasaray. In the round of 16, they drew Manchester City and lost both the home and away legs by a score of 3-1. In this season’s Conference League third qualifying round tie, FC København scraped past Baník Ostrava 2-1 via a penalty shootout, after both legs were won 1-0 by the home side.
Panathinaikos (Greece)
Panathinaikos reached the final of the 1970/71 European Cup but were defeated 2-0 by Ajax. They can also boast two semi-final and four quarter-final appearances in European competitions over the years, with the last one coming in the 2002/03 Europa League. Their last three Europa League group appearances have resulted in three bottom-place finishes and just one victory across their 18 matches. In this year’s Europa League qualifying, it was Ajax who once again proved to be their undoing, with Panathinaikos losing an amazing penalty shootout 13-12. They got a second chance in the Conference League, where an excellent 3-2 aggregate win over French side Lens took them into the league stage.
LASK (Austria)
LASK have achieved two round-of-16 finishes in Europe, both of which occurred in the last five years. They lost to 7-1 on aggregate to Manchester United in the 2019/20 Europa League, and then by an overall score of 7-5 to Slavia Prague in the 2021/22 Conference League . They qualified for the Europa League group stage last season, but lost home and away to both Liverpool and Toulouse and failed to qualify for the knockout rounds. In this year’s Europa League playoff, they managed a 1-1 draw away to Steaua București in the first leg, only to lose the return match at home by a score of 1-0 and move to the Conference League.
Rapid Wien (Austria)
Rapid Wien have reached the final of the Cup Winners’ Cup twice, but were unsuccessful on both occasions. They were defeated 3-1 by Everton in 1984/85 and by PSG 1-0 in 1995/96. They have qualified for the Europa League group stage twice in the last four seasons, but finished third in their group on both occasions and were eliminated. Rapid Wien had reached the playoff round in this year’s Europa League with impressive wins over Wisła Kraków and Trabzonspor, only to lose out by an aggregate score of 4-3 to Sporting Braga, thus gaining their place in the league phase of the Conference League.
İstanbul Başakşehir (Turkey)
İstanbul Başakşehir played in their first European tournament in 2015 and have reached the round of 16 on two occasions. They have a particularly good record in the Conference League, with a record of W13, D5, L2 from the 20 matches played so far. That includes this season’s progression to the league stage, where they have scored 15 goals and conceded one in the three qualifying rounds. They also played in the group stage of the 2020/21 Champions League and achieved their best European result by beating Manchester United 2-1 at home. However, with PSG and RB Leipzig completing that group, the Turkish side lost the other five matches.
Molde (Norway)
In 20 seasons of European football, Molde have two round-of-16 finishes to their name. The first came in the 2020/21 Europa League, when they achieved an impressive 5-3 aggregate win over German side Hoffenheim in the round of 32, before losing 3-2 over two legs to Granada. Then, last year, they finished third in their Europa League group and moved into the Conference League, where they were defeated 4-2 by Club Brugge in the round of 16. This season, they moved from the Europa League to the Conference League again, after losing their playoff match against Elfsborg on penalties.
Legia Warsaw (Poland)
Legia Warsaw have been regular European participants over the years, with two semi-final appearances to their name. Those came in the 1969/70 European Cup and the 1990/91 Cup Winners’ Cup. They have reached the group stage several times in recent years, but on the occasions that they have progressed further, it was only as far as the next knockout round. They had a memorable double-header against Borussia Dortmund in the 2016/17 Champions League group stage, losing 6-0 at home and 8-4 away. In qualifying for the league stage of this season’s Conference League, Legia Warsaw’s victories included an 11-0 aggregate win over Caernarfon Town.
Jagiellonia Białystok (Poland)
Jagiellonia Białystok are playing in their sixth European campaign and have never previously progressed beyond the qualifying rounds. Their best performance to date was in the second qualifying round in the 2018/19 Europa League, when they defeated Rio Ave 5-4 on aggregate, with that match-up including a 4-4 draw in Portugal. After losing 5-1 on aggregate to Bodø/Glimt in this season’s Champions League third qualifying round, they then had the misfortune to be drawn against Ajax, one of the strongest teams in the Europa League playoffs. The Polish side were defeated 7-1 on aggregate and they now find themselves competing in the league stage of the Conference League.
Djurgården (Sweden)
Djurgården competed in the European Cup back in 1955/56, where they were defeated by Scottish side Hibernian in the quarter-finals. That was as good as it got for the Swedish side for many years, as their first appearance in a group stage came over 65 years later in the 2022/23 Conference League. It was worth the wait, as they finished top of their group, beating Gent and Molde home and away and taking four points off Shamrock Rovers. However, Lech Poznań proved a hurdle too far, with the Polish side winning 5-0 on aggregate. Djurgården defeated Maribor with two 1-0 victories in the playoff round to reach this stage.
Mladá Boleslav (Czech Republic)
Mladá Boleslav did feature in a couple of UEFA Cup groups back in 2006/07 and 2007/08 but didn’t progress from either. Since then, they have failed to progress beyond the third qualifying round in any European competition until this season’s Conference League. On the way to qualifying for the league stage, they eliminated TransINVEST, Hapoel Be’er Sheva and Paksi without losing a match, a run which included victories in all three of the away legs.
Lugano (Switzerland)
Lugano have never progressed beyond the group stage in any European competition. They played in the Conference League group stage last year but lost four of their six matches to finish in last place. They did achieve one notable victory, winning 3-2 away to Turkish side Beşiktaş. By a quirk of fate, they met the same opponents in the playoff round for this season’s Europa League, but Beşiktaş were too strong for their Swiss opponents this time, winning 8-4 on aggregate to send Lugano into the Conference League.
St. Gallen (Switzerland)
Despite being the oldest club in Switzerland at over 140 years old, St. Gallen have rarely featured in European competitions. They have only qualified once for the group stage of any tournament, with that single occasion coming in the Europa League in 2013/14. Although they managed home wins over Swansea City and Kuban Krasnodar, they lost the remaining four matches and finished last in their group. They qualified for the league stage of this season’s Conference League with a penalty shootout win over Turkish side Trabzonspor following home and away draws. However, the computer was not kind to St. Gallen when it allocated their league matches, as they find themselves with a tough draw.
APOEL (Cyprus)
In a standout campaign in 2011/12, APOEL reached the Champions League quarter-finals. The Cypriot side topped their group and then beat French side Lyon on penalties in the round of 16. However, Real Madrid proved an insurmountable obstacle in the next round, as the Spanish side were resounding 8-2 aggregate winners. Since then, APOEL have only qualified from a group stage twice, both in the Europa League, and were unable to progress beyond the round of 16. This season, APOEL lost in the Champions League qualifying round to Slovan Bratislava and then were beaten by Rīgas Futbola Skola, this time on penalties, in the Europa League playoff round. APOEL will now compete in the Conference League.
Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus)
Omonia have been playing in European competitions since 1965, but it was not until the 2020/21 season that they managed to reach the group stage in any competition. However, in the three times that they have reached the group stage of a European competition, they have yet to progress any further. On the last occasion, in the Europa League two seasons ago, Omonia lost all six of their group matches. In qualifying for the league stage of this year’s Conference League, Omonia won five of their six matches, including a 6-0 home win over Zira in the last round.
Pafos (Cyprus)
Pafos complete the trio of Cypriot sides competing in the league stage of the Conference League, which is the highest number of teams from any nation. Created in 2014 from a merger between AEP Paphos and AEK Kouklia, this will be the first season that Pafos will play European football, having originally qualified for the Europa League qualifying round. However, a decisive 8-2 aggregate loss to Elfsborg transferred them to the Conference League qualifying rounds, where Pafos eliminated Žalgiris, CSKA 1948 and CFR Cluj to reach the league stage.
HJK (Finland)
HJK are yet to progress beyond the group stage in any European competition, having finished bottom in their last two group appearances. The most recent of those was in last season’s Conference League, when they drew home and away with Scottish side Aberdeen but lost their other four fixtures. One notable result for the Finnish side was a 13-0 aggregate victory over Bangor City (10-0 at home and 3-0 away) in a 2011/12 Champions League qualifying match. HJK qualified for this season’s league phase of the Conference League via a penalty shootout victory over Dečić and a tight 4-3 aggregate win over KÍ.
Astana (Kazakhstan)
Astana are a relatively new club, having only been formed in 2009. After making their European debut in 2013, Astana competed in the Europa League two season later, and progressed through the three qualifying rounds. However, they came up against Villarreal in the playoff round and were no match for their Spanish opponents, losing 7-0 on aggregate. They exceeded that the following season, after qualifying for the Champions League group stage. However, despite a decent effort of four draws and two defeats, they finished bottom of their group. Last season, they qualified for the Conference League group stage, only to finish third with just one victory.
Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Olimpija Ljubljana made their European debut in the 2010/11 season and have competed every year except two since then. The only time they qualified for a group stage was in the 2023/24 Conference League, although after winning two and losing four of their six group games, they did not reach the knockout rounds. However, they progressed with ease to reach the league stage of the Conference League this season, with aggregate score victories of 4-1 against Polissya Zhytomyr, 4-0 against Sheriff Tiraspol and 6-1 over Rijeka.
Celje (Slovenia)
Celje have never previously reached the group stage of one of the main European competitions. They have reached the league stage of the Conference League this season after failing to qualify through the qualifying rounds in the Champions League (with a 6-1 aggregate loss to Slovan Bratislava) and the Europa League (with a 3-2 aggregate loss to Shamrock Rovers). They then defeated Armenian side Pyunik to reach the league stage. One of their notable European victories was a 4-2 aggregate win over Vitória Guimarães last season, and they have been drawn against the Portuguese side again this year for one of their league phase matches.
Hearts (Scotland)
Hearts, sometimes referred to by their full name ‘Heart of Midlothian’, first played in Europe in the 1958/59 European Cup. However, the first time they progressed to the latter stages of a tournament was in the 1988/89 UEFA Cup, where they lost 2-1 on aggregate to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals. It was another 16 years until they progressed past the qualifying rounds in Europe, before being eliminated in the group stages of the 2004/05 UEFA Cup. Hearts also reached the group stage in the 2022/23 Conference League but, despite beating Rīgas Futbola Skola home and away, the Scottish side lost both legs against Fiorentina and İstanbul Başakşehir.
Bačka Topola (Serbia)
Bačka Topola, also known as TSC, are playing their third season in European football. They competed in the group stage of the Europa League last season but lost five and drew one of their six matches. In that run, they conceded 19 goals. In the first match of their Europa League playoff this season, they were their own worst enemy, with two red cards in the first half contributing to a 3-0 away defeat to Maccabi Tel Aviv. However, they fared even worse at home, losing the second leg 5-1. Those defeats extended their current run to 9 losses and a draw from their last 10 European matches.
The New Saints (Wales)
This is the 26th time The New Saints (TNS) have participated in European competitions. Prior to this season, two ventures into the third qualifying round had been their best achievement. The most recent of those was in 2021/22, when they defeated Viktoria Plzeň 4-2 at home, only to lose 3-1 in the away leg and be eliminated via a penalty shootout. However, despite losing in the Champions League and Europa League qualifying rounds and dropping down into the Conference League this season, TNS defeated Panevėžys 3-0 on aggregate to reach the league stage after an excellent 3-0 first-leg victory in Lithuania.
Dinamo Minsk (Belarus)
Dinamo Minsk have appeared in many European tournaments, and can boast three quarter-final appearances in the 1980s. However, the format was very different in those days, and with the expanded tournaments of today, Dinamo Minsk rarely progress beyond the qualifying rounds. They have reached the group stage of the Europa League twice, in 2014/15 and in the following season, but lost 10 of the 12 matches they played. They had a tough draw in the playoff round in this season’s Europa League when facing Anderlecht and, although Dinamo Minsk were defeated, they made the Belgian side work hard for two 1-0 victories.
Víkingur Reykjavík (Iceland)
Víkingur Reykjavík have participated in European competitions sporadically since 1972, although they have had little success to date. Despite the fact that they lost their first 11 matches in European competitions, recent seasons have seen some improvement. This season, Víkingur Reykjavík were eliminated in the Champions League first qualifying round by Shamrock Rovers , but have progressed through three Conference League rounds to reach the league stage. This has mainly been due to their home form, where they have won five and drawn three of their last eight European matches held in Iceland.
Borac Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Although they played in the 1975/76 Cup Winners’ Cup, Borac Banja Luka have only been regular European participants for the last five years. Overall, in the nine times they have competed, the Bosnian side have never progressed beyond the qualifying rounds. This season, they were eliminated from the Champions League qualifying round after home and away losses to PAOK, and they then lost to Ferencváros on penalties after two draws in the Europa League playoff round. Borac Banja Luka will need to improve away from home if they are to progress from the league stage of the Conference League, having lost nine and drawn two of their previous 11 away European matches.
Shamrock Rovers (Republic of Ireland)
Despite being the first Irish club ever to compete in Europe, back in 1957, their best moment to date was reaching the group stages of the 2011/12 Europa League. However, they went on to lose all six group games on that occasion. This season, they started in the Champions League qualifying rounds but lost 6-2 on aggregate to Sparta Prague. That moved them to the Europa League, but they fared no better there, losing 6-0 on aggregate to PAOK. Now, with a place in the league phase of the Conference League, it’s likely to be third time unlucky for the Irish team.
Larne (Northern Ireland)
Larne made their first European appearance in the 2021/22 season and progressed through the first two Conference League qualifying rounds with aggregate wins over Bala Town and AGF Aarhus, before Portuguese side Paços de Ferreira proved too strong, although the Northern Irish side did secure a memorable 1-0 home victory. A 7-0 aggregate loss in this season’s Champions League qualifiers saw Larne move to the Conference League, where they qualified for the league stage with a 4-3 aggregate win over Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar.
Noah (Armenia)
Noah made their European debut in the 2020/21 Europa League but were eliminated in the first qualifying round. The following year, they qualified for the first edition of the Conference League when, despite winning the home leg 1-0, they lost the away leg 5-0 to Finnish side KuPS. This season, they have progressed through four rounds to reach the league stage, with their most impressive result being a 3-2 aggregate win over AEK Athens. In each of those four rounds, Noah were victorious in the home leg and, if they are to progress to the knockout stages this year, they will need to make the most of their home fixtures.
Petrocub Hîncești (Moldova)
The Moldovan champions reached the playoff round for the Europa League this season, which was the first time they had progressed beyond the qualifying rounds in seven previous European campaigns. Unfortunately, a 4-0 defeat in the first-leg match against Ludogorets Razgrad put an end to their chances of progression, and they followed that with a 2-1 defeat on home soil. They now find themselves in the league stage of the Conference League but, given their UEFA club ranking is currently 221st, it will be a big ask for them to progress to the knockout round.
Previous Conference League finals
2023/24: Olympiacos 1-0 Fiorentina (after extra-time)
2022/23: West Ham 2-1 Fiorentina
2021/22: Roma 1-0 Feyenoord
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