The UEFA Cup and the Europa League - What's the Difference?
The UEFA Cup, formerly the UEFA Europa League, is an annual football club competition that takes place in Europe. Any eligible club in the European football leagues can participate. It has been played since 1960, and is the oldest club competition in the world. This competition offers teams a chance to showcase their talents to the rest of Europe, as well as establishing a strong presence in the European football scene. However, there are a number of key differences between the UEFA Cup and the Europa League.
The Europa League consists of a group stage, followed by five knockout stages. The winner of the competition earns a place in the UEFA Champions League group stage, and will play the holder in a UEFA Super Cup match. Teams in the Europa League compete in a double round robin format, which means that they play every other team twice. The eight third-placed teams of the Champions League group stage will also play in the Europa League if they haven't already done so.
The format of the Europa League has been similar to that of the Champions Cup for many years. However, it will change from 2021-22. The tournament is currently played in Europe, with 36 teams in eight groups of four. Each team plays six matches during the group stage to determine its ranking. The first team in each group qualifies for the knockout round, while the second place team must participate in a play-off with a relegated Champions League team.