The UEFA Conference League returns for its 4th season on October 2, 2024. The new season will unfold with a revamped format similar to the latest model of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League. Our Conference League 2024 League stage and season preview provides insights on what to expect.
The UECL will kick off on October 2, 2024. Like other traditional European club competitions, the group stage will be replaced by a league phase. The League phase will conclude on December 19, 2024. It will be followed by the Knockout play-offs, which will commence on 13 February and conclude by 20 February 2025. The Knockout stage will begin on March 6 and end on May 28, 2025.
| ℹ️ Tournament: | UEFA Conference League Season 2024/25 |
| ⚽️ Venues: | Stadiums Across Europe |
| 🗓️ League Phase Dates: | 2 October – 19 December 2024 |
| 🗓️ 1st Round Play-off Dates: | 13 February – 20 February 2025 |
| 🗓️ Knockout Stage Dates: | 6 March 2024 – 28 May 2025 |
Here is the new Conference League format explained in simple terms. The UEFA Conference League has undergone a significant transformation for the 2024/25 season, adopting the innovative “Swiss model.” This new format involves 36 teams competing in a single league stage, where each team will play six matches – three at home and three on the road. Unlike UCL and UEL 24/25, the Conference league had six pots (instead of 4 and two games against each pot), with each team having a single matchup against all six pots.
At the conclusion of this stage, the top eight teams will advance directly to the Round of 16. Meanwhile, teams ranked 9th to 24th will participate in knockout playoffs to determine the remaining eight spots in the Round of 16. Notably, teams ranked 25th to 36th will face elimination, with no teams from the Europa League 24/25 entering this stage as well.
The Conference League was introduced in 2021 to provide more clubs with European competition opportunities. It was created for teams from associations that rarely qualify for the Champions League or Europa League. English, Greek, and Italian football clubs each have one title, with Fiorentina being the first team to participate in multiple finals without a win.
With only three editions of the tournament being held, Conference League featured three diverse winners, and Fiorentina was twice in the finals, losing them both.
The most popular football betting sites have delivered the following outright odds for the top five teams competing this season:
Chelsea were set to compete in the UEFA Europa League this season after finishing 6th in the Premier League. Unfortunately, they were demoted to the Conference League following Manchester United’s FA Cup triumph. The club’s new manager, Enzo Maresca, faces mounting pressure from the ownership to deliver a successful season. With a bolstered squad, Maresca must demonstrate his managerial prowess across all competitions. Interestingly, Chelsea has a rich history in European competitions, winning two UCL titles, two Europa League, and two Super Cup titles. The club’s participation in the Conference League presents a unique opportunity to expand its European trophy cabinet. You can leverage this tip to bet on league stage 2024 UECL on most bookies offering this option.
Real Betis is the next rated favorite to win this tournament according to their 24/25 Conference League odds. Real Betis made a brief appearance in the Conference League last season, but Dinamo Zagreb knocked them out in the playoff round. This year, after a dominant 5-0 aggregate win over Kryvbas in the qualifiers, they’ll feature fully in the tournament. Finishing 7th last season marked their fourth consecutive top-seven finish under Manuel Pellegrini. The veteran coach’s leadership will be crucial as Betis aim to secure Conference League glory this season.
Fiorentina is a strong contender for the Conference League title this season. They finished 8th in Serie A, nine points shy of the top four. La Viola reached the tournament’s previous two finals but lost both. Their latest final loss came at the hands of Olympiacos last season. Now, under new coach Raffaele Palladino, Fiorentina will be eager to take the final step and secure European glory.
Gent is a strong contender and potential dark horse in this season’s Conference League. Having participated in every edition of the tournament, they will look to challenge for the title this season. Last season, Gent finished 7th in the Belgian Pro League and earned their spot by winning the domestic qualifying round. They eliminated Vikingur, Silkeborg, and Partizan Belgrade to reach the league phase.
Panathinaikos makes their Conference League debut this season. The 20-time Greek champions finished 4th last season in their domestic league, just one point behind Olympiacos. After overturning a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Lens with a 2-0 home win, they secured their spot in this tournament. Under Diego Alonso’s leadership, they could be a dark horse, especially with the addition of Facundo Pellistri from Man Utd. He will join Fotis Ioannidis in attack this season. Ioannidis had 22 goals and assists last season for the Greek outfit.
Here are our 2024/25 Conference League season predictions:
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We start our 24/25 UECL betting predictions by picking Chelsea as the likely winner of this tournament. The Blues are the highest-ranked team in this competition, and they possess a rich history in European tournaments. In terms of trophies, Chelsea has won two UCL and UEL titles.
New manager Enzo Maresca will work to restore the club’s glory by aiming for a title win. He will supported by a large squad that can handle the season’s demands. Key signings like Jadon Sancho, João Félix, and Pedro Neto will be crucial to Chelsea’s title ambitions. The betting odds for Chelsea to win the tournament are currently set at 2.75 (7/4), and no other team is close in terms of the amount of talented players in their squad.
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Fiorentina’s experience makes them a serious contender this year. The Italians have experience in this contest after finishing runners-up in the last two editions. Though backing them might seem risky, they could emerge as the underdog to challenge Chelsea for the title. Key signings like David de Gea, Yacine Adli, and Moise Kean should improve their chances. New coach Raffaele Palladino will also be keen to improve on past performances. If they can go on a deep run in this contest like the last two seasons, they have an outside chance of clinching the title by May 2025.
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Chelsea is widely favored to finish first in the league phase this season. They have been drawn alongside Gent, Heidenheim, Astana, Panathinaikos, Shamrock Rovers, and FC Noah. Their opponents are miles away, and all ranked lower than Chelsea. Also, the Blues have a bigger squad filled with top players who have experience playing against top European teams. Given their quality, Chelsea has a relatively easy path to securing the top spot in the league, and their reserve players should show enough hunger to earn their place in Premier League battles. Most UECL 2024 League stage betting tips expect this outcome.
Here are our betting picks for Conference League 24/25:
Chelsea’s history in European competitions makes them the top favorite to win this tournament. Use our UECL 24/25 betting tips to stake on your favorite bookies and win extra cash.
