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The UEFA Europa Conference League consists of 184 teams participating. After three rounds of qualifiers and one round of playoffs, 32 teams qualify for the group stage. The 32 teams in the group stage are divided into 8 groups, each with 4 teams, playing a home-and-away round-robin format. The group winners advance directly to the round of 16; while the second-placed teams compete in playoffs with the third-placed teams from the UEFA Europa League group stage to determine the remaining 8 round of 16 spots. The round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals follow a home-and-away knockout format, with matches going into extra time and, if necessary, penalties to determine the winner in case of a draw on aggregate. The final is held at a neutral venue, with extra time and penalties if needed. This season's final will take place in Athens, Greece. The entire tournament comprises 141 matches over 15 match weeks.
The champion of this new tournament qualifies for the next season's UEFA Europa League group stage, with matches scheduled for Thursdays.
Similar to the UEFA Champions League, qualification for the UEFA Association League group stage can be achieved through two pathways: the "Champions Path" and the "League Path."
Unlike the UEFA Champions League, teams from the "Champions Path" only enter the UEFA Association League after being eliminated from the UEFA Europa League playoffs.
The allocation of slots for the "League Path" is based on the UEFA coefficient, with each member association receiving three slots, except:
Associations ranked 1–5: Only receive one slot
Associations ranked 6–15: Only receive two slots
Associations ranked 52–54: Only receive two slots
Association ranked 55: Only receive one slot
Liechtenstein, due to the absence of a domestic league, can only enter the competition through the Liechtenstein Cup champions.
As Juventus breached the Financial Fair Play rules, Fiorentina will replace them in the 23-24 UEFA Association League. |
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