Europa Conference League: What does it mean for Cymru Premier clubs?
Barry Town v Cliftonville in the Europa League Preliminary Round at Leckwith Stadium. Lewis Mitchell/YCPD.
European football’s governing body has announced a new structure due to commence in 2021.
Entitled the European Conference League, it will serve as the third-tier UEFA club competition and act as a fresh fixture in giving different clubs in different counties a chance to participate in Europe.
Despite still being in the embryonic stages of its development, the competition has caused a stir. The introduction of the Europa Conference League will trigger a big chance in the format of European football.
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The current 48-team Europa League will be shortened to 32 teams come the 2021/22 season, and will also be open to only top 15 European nations, as confirmed by their club coefficient.
Countries located in positions 16th place and below will take part in the new Europa Conference League – as well as teams that drop into the third-tier during the Europa League qualifying stages.
Due to Wales currently being situated in 47th in the UEFA Men’s Country coefficients, only the Welsh champions would be handed an attempt to qualify for the Champions League as they have done previously.
Wales’ other representatives would be placed directly into the Europa Conference League and not be given the chance to qualify for the second-tier competition.
Unlike the last two seasons, there would be no preliminary round in the Conference League.
Non-champion clubs in Round One would have to win four ties to reach the Group Stage.
If the Welsh champions were to then immediately lose in the Champions League qualifiers, they would then drop straight to the third-tier, although, if they were to lose in Round Two they would enter the Europa League in round three.
A loss in the third round of Europa League qualifying would then mean a decider in the Europa Conference League play-offs with the winner progressing to the group stages.
Despite this seemingly restricting Welsh clubs in qualifying for the Europa League, it also hands them a greater chance in qualifying for the group stages of a European competition.
The Welsh champions would have a more considerable chance of reaching the group stages.
(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell)
