UEFA: new club competition approved by the Executive Committee for the 2021-2024 cycle

"The UEFA Executive Committee has approved the creation of a third UEFA club competition for the 2021-2024 competition cycle at its meeting in Dublin (IRL)," said the governing body on 02/12/2018.

"More clubs from more associations will play European football from 2021. The new competition (which has the working title of UEL2) will mirror the existing UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, and feature 32 teams in a group stage," said the European Confederation.

"The format will see eight groups of four teams, followed by the Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. An additional knockout round will be played before the Round of 16 between teams ranked second in their groups and the third-ranked teams of the UEFA Europa League groups," added UEFA.

The sixth placed team of Ligue 1 Conforama (if France remain fifth in the UEFA classification) will qualify for the group stage of the Europa League 2, as will the seventh placed Spanish, English, German and Italian teams.

UEL2: matches on Thursday, winner will qualify for the Europa League the following season

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