# 2024–25 UEFA Conference League
The 2024–25 UEFA Conference League was the fourth season of UEFA's third-tier men's club football competition, and the first played under its new name and a 36-team league phase format. It began with qualifying on 11 July 2024 and ended when Chelsea beat [Real Betis](https://www.edgepedia.org/real-betis) 4–1 in the final at Stadion Wrocław in Poland on 28 May 2025.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0290-1bae118124f0-2a9660de6583-1000/) • [2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0294-1c9c6a71f9ef-940e4e96e262-1000--conference-league-meet-the-finalists/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Season | Fourth edition; first under the name UEFA Conference League (renamed from UEFA Europa Conference League) and first with a league phase[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0290-1bae118124f0-2a9660de6583-1000/) • [3](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0282-185d6b03cbe4-4763e115dd7f-1000--competition-to-be-renamed/) |
| Format | Single 36-team league phase, six matches each (three home, three away); top 8 to the round of 16, 9th to 24th to knockout play-offs[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0290-1bae118124f0-2a9660de6583-1000/) |
| Champion | Chelsea, beating Real Betis 4–1 in the final in Wroclaw on 28 May 2025[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0294-1c9c6a71f9ef-940e4e96e262-1000--conference-league-meet-the-finalists/) |
| Chelsea's record | League phase: 1st, 6 wins, 26–5 goals, 18 points; overall P13 W12 D0 L1, 42 goals for, 10 against[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/history/seasons/2025/) • [2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0294-1c9c6a71f9ef-940e4e96e262-1000--conference-league-meet-the-finalists/) |
| Season top scorer | Afimico Pululu (Jagiellonia), 8 goals[5](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0298-1d6e887134f4-450771540b4a-1000/) |
| Final venue | Stadion Wrocław, home of Śląsk Wrocław, capacity over 40,000, third biggest stadium in Poland[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0290-1bae118124f0-2a9660de6583-1000/) |
| Prize for winners | A place in the following season's Europa League league stage if not qualified for the Champions League domestically[6](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0287-1964b9e98427-5f4f03309ec1-1000--2024-25-season-dates-details/) |
## Name and format change
The UEFA Executive Committee decided in June 2023 to rename the [UEFA Europa Conference League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-europa-conference-league) to UEFA Conference League from the start of the 2024/25 season, after research among fans and commercial partners found that removing 'Europa' would help the competition develop as a stand-alone product.[3](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0282-185d6b03cbe4-4763e115dd7f-1000--competition-to-be-renamed/) The same season replaced the old eight-group structure with a single 36-team league phase in which each club plays six different opponents, three at home and three away. The top eight advanced directly to the round of 16; clubs finishing ninth to 24th entered knockout phase play-offs, with the winners joining the last 16.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0290-1bae118124f0-2a9660de6583-1000/) A total of 14 teams eliminated from the 2024/25 Champions League were transferred into the Conference League during the season.[7](https://assets.website-files.com/6724b04e9f21795e24e21212/6847fef145fdf47f08572a83_mowaribosutixutaluxal.pdf)
## Calendar
Qualifying ran from the first round on 11 and 18 July 2024 through the play-offs on 22 and 29 August. The league phase was played on six matchdays from 3 October to 19 December 2024. The knockout phase play-offs were held on 13 and 20 February 2025, the round of 16 on 6 and 13 March, the quarter-finals on 10 and 17 April, the semi-finals on 1 and 8 May, and the final on 28 May 2025.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0290-1bae118124f0-2a9660de6583-1000/)
## Chelsea's campaign
**League phase.** Chelsea won all six matches and finished first with 18 points, scoring 26 goals and conceding 5.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/history/seasons/2025/) The results were 4–2 against Gent, 4–1 at Panathinaikos, 8–0 at home to Noah, 2–0 at Heidenheim, 3–1 at Astana, and 5–1 against Shamrock Rovers.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0294-1c9c6a71f9ef-940e4e96e262-1000--conference-league-meet-the-finalists/)
**Knockouts.** Chelsea beat Copenhagen 3–1 on aggregate in the round of 16, Legia Warszawa 4–2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals despite losing the second leg 1–2 at home, and Djurgården 5–1 on aggregate in the semi-finals.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0294-1c9c6a71f9ef-940e4e96e262-1000--conference-league-meet-the-finalists/) Across 13 matches the team recorded 12 wins, no draws, and one defeat, scoring 42 goals and conceding 10; its 12 wins, 42 goals, and 106 attempts on target each ranked first in the competition.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0294-1c9c6a71f9ef-940e4e96e262-1000--conference-league-meet-the-finalists/)
## The final
Real Betis, in the first European final in the club's history, took the lead through Ezzalzouli in the ninth minute, but Chelsea responded with goals from [Enzo Fernández](https://www.edgepedia.org/enzo-fernandez) (65), [Nicolas Jackson](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicolas-jackson) (70), [Jadon Sancho](https://www.edgepedia.org/jadon-sancho) (83), and Moisés Caicedo (90+1) to win 4–1. Cole Palmer was named Player of the Match.[5](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0298-1d6e887134f4-450771540b4a-1000/) The match was played at the Tarczyński Arena Wrocław before 39,754 spectators, with Irfan Peljto as referee.[8](https://fbref.com/en/comps/882/2024-2025/schedule/2024-2025-UEFA-Conference-League-Scores-and-Fixtures) The win completed Chelsea's set of the three current major UEFA men's club trophies.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/history/seasons/2025/)
## Statistics
Chelsea's leading scorers in the competition were [Marc Guiu](https://www.edgepedia.org/marc-guiu) with 6 goals, [Christopher Nkunku](https://www.edgepedia.org/christopher-nkunku) with 5, and [Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall](https://www.edgepedia.org/kiernan-dewsbury-hall) and João Félix with 4 each. Enzo Fernández led the club with 6 assists, followed by Jadon Sancho with 5. Filip Jørgensen played the most minutes, 1,080.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0294-1c9c6a71f9ef-940e4e96e262-1000--conference-league-meet-the-finalists/) The competition's overall top scorer was Afimico Pululu of Jagiellonia with 8 goals.[5](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0298-1d6e887134f4-450771540b4a-1000/)
## Place in the competition's history
Previous winners were Roma (2021/22, in Tirana), West Ham (2022/23, in Prague), and Olympiacos (2023/24, in Athens, beating Fiorentina 1–0 after extra time).[5](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0298-1d6e887134f4-450771540b4a-1000/) Chelsea was the first Conference League winner to finish first in the league phase and lift the trophy in the same season.[9](https://as.com/futbol/champions/los-campeones-de-europa-devaluan-la-nueva-fase-liga-f202606-n/)
## References
1. [2024/25 Conference League: Teams, format, dates, draws, final, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0290-1bae118124f0-2a9660de6583-1000/)
2. [Chelsea win the 2024/25 Conference League: Meet the champions, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0294-1c9c6a71f9ef-940e4e96e262-1000--conference-league-meet-the-finalists/)
3. [UEFA Europa Conference League to be renamed UEFA Conference League next season, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0282-185d6b03cbe4-4763e115dd7f-1000--competition-to-be-renamed/)
4. [Season 2024/25, UEFA Conference League, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/history/seasons/2025/)
5. [UEFA Conference League winners, best players, goals and teams of the season, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0298-1d6e887134f4-450771540b4a-1000/)
6. [2024/25 UEFA Conference League: Matches, final, key dates, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/news/0287-1964b9e98427-5f4f03309ec1-1000--2024-25-season-dates-details/)
7. [UEFA Conference League 2024–2025 Schedule and Results](https://assets.website-files.com/6724b04e9f21795e24e21212/6847fef145fdf47f08572a83_mowaribosutixutaluxal.pdf)
8. [2024–2025 Conference League Scores & Fixtures, FBref.com](https://fbref.com/en/comps/882/2024-2025/schedule/2024-2025-UEFA-Conference-League-Scores-and-Fixtures)
9. [Los campeones de Europa devalúan la nueva fase liga, AS](https://as.com/futbol/champions/los-campeones-de-europa-devaluan-la-nueva-fase-liga-f202606-n/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Competitions and recurring events › UEFA competitions › UEFA club competitions › UEFA Europa Conference League*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license