The Conference League returns for the 2024/2025 season in its 4th season since its inception. As the 3rd tier of European football, it's filled to the brim with teams from all across Europe eager to prove themselves worthy of competing in the higher tiers. It's important to remember that whilst teams will be pushing themselves to win the conference League, there is a secondary goal in mind with the winner of the conference League being granted automatic qualification to the Europa League, a stepping stone in the journey to Europe’s premier competition, the Champions League. Examples of former teams who gained success and fame from the Conference League include Roma, who will be playing in the Europa League this season. West Ham also made their name known in the conference League after winning it in the 2022/2023 season. Whilst they may not be partaking in European competitions this season, their name will still go down as a key milestone in the early years of the Conference League. Current defending Champions Olympiacos are also another success story. This season they won't be able to defend their 2023/2024 title as they are set to take part in the Europa League. On top of these success stories, there is also the introduction of a new competitive format to be excited about. Join us as we delve into these changes and more as we examine the 2024/2025 Europa Conference League!

Similar to the changes made in the Champions League and the Europa League, the Conference league will now be adopting a 36 team league system to determine the knockout round participants, with the typical system of 8 groups and 32 teams being scrapped. Unlike the Champions League and the Europa League where each team will need to play 8 matches, the Conference League has made the decision to have only 6 matches played by each team in the league stage. Whilst we don't fully know why this decision has been made, it will certainly add to the intensity of qualification with each team having less games to secure enough points to advance to the next round, further adding to the uniqueness of the Conference League. Once these 6 matches have been played, the top 8 teams will directly advance to the round of 16 and the next 16 teams will have to partake in play-offs matches to earn their spot. After the knockout stage commences, the tournament will continue in its typical fashion. As these teams battle for their spot in the knockout rounds, fans can expect fierce and closely contested matches, with every goal and point potentially making the difference between advancing and elimination.

Now, let's go on to talk about some of the teams that we believe will be heavy hitters in this year's tournament. Chelsea, despite not being a name you would associate with the Conference League, are promising to be a threat in the Conference League. They secured qualification for the Conference League after finishing 6th last season. Whilst this may initially seem like little achievement for a club as big as Chelsea, who just a few years ago were winning titles and European competitions, in recent years they have fallen off. Last season they started off poorly, being in the bottom half of the table, with the idea of no European competitions being a realistic concern. However, later into the season, they were able to turn things around and fight for a place in the Conference League. Perhaps this Conference League campaign may end up being just what Chelsea need to return to their former glory. Further bolstered by the recent signing of a new manager, Enzo Marseca, it will be interesting to see how Chelsea performs.

Another team worthy of notable mention is Fiorentina who return to the Conference League for another season. Fiorentina secured qualification for the Conference League by finishing 8th in Serie A. Fiorentina are no strangers to the Conference League, being finalists in both the 2023 and 2024 Conference League finals. Despite this, they have failed to yet secure the highly desired title, leaving fans and the club alike disappointed. Motivated by this loss, will Fiorentina finally break their curse and win the Conference League, or will they blunder for a 3rd time? Whilst Chelsea and Fiorentina are teams that we believe stand a good chance in this year's tournament, they are by far from the only ones capable of doing so. The competition in the Conference League promises to be fierce, with numerous clubs eager to make their mark on the European stage. Teams like Chelsea and Fiorentina may have the reputation and experience to go far, but they will face tough challenges from other ambitious clubs across Europe, each hungry for success and ready to capitalise on any opportunity they get.

On the journey to the final at the Stadion Wrocław, expect to see high quality football, with every single game having its own stakes. Each goal and decision could make or break a team's efforts to secure the title and will be something you don't want to miss out on. Purchase your Conference League tickets with TicketKosta and experience a competition like no other!