The UEFA Europa League

The UEFA europa league is an annual competition between football clubs from across Europe. Until this year, the competition was called the UEFA Cup. Almost any European football club can participate. It was created in 1958, and its format has remained largely unchanged. All eligible football clubs across Europe can compete. Here's a closer look at how the competition works. The UEFA Cup is one of the oldest European club competitions, dating back to 1896.

There are four pots in the competition. The first pot contains the highest-rated clubs. The second pot has the next-highest club coefficient. Afterward, the remaining four pots draw teams. Teams from the same association cannot play against each other in the semifinals. However, the winners of each pot advance to the Champions League final. The draw takes place on January 24 to ensure that the best teams advance to the knockout stage. The first round has eight rounds.

The UEFA has been working hard to make as many teams as possible to participate in the continental competition. The Europa League is arguably the most prestigious of all these competitions and is a major prize to win. While often operating in shadow of the Champions League, winning major silverware is still an unbeatable ambition for all European footballers. In fact, the Champions League is one of the few ways to achieve that. The top four Russian clubs have appealed the ban on their club from European competitions.