Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin confirmed the news after their meeting in Dublin

A third European club competition with the working title 'Europa League 2' will be introduced from 2021.

One English team will enter the play-offs of the new tournament, while Scottish sides may miss out on Europa League places in a reshuffle.

As part of Uefa's 2021-2024 cycle, the Europa League will cut in size to 32 teams with an extra play-off round between the group stage and last 16.

The new tournament will be played on Thursdays alongside the Europa League.

Every country's champions will still enter the Champions League, but only teams from the 15 top-ranked countries will go into the Europa League group stages or qualifiers.

That means teams from leagues below that level - which at the moment would include Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, excluding their champions - would go straight into 'UEL2' qualifying rounds.

The new competition and Europa League will have the same format - eight groups of four teams with the winners going into the last 16. There will be a play-off before that round for the teams who finish second in the group and sides who finish third in the groups of the higher tournament.

The winners of the tournament will qualify for the following season's Europa League.

The Champions League format does not change.

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said: "The new competition makes Uefa's club competitions more inclusive than ever before. There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages.

"This competition was born out of ongoing dialogue with clubs through the European Club Association."

At least 34 countries will have teams in a group stage, compared to 26 at the moment.</s>European football's governing body approved the creation of a third-tier UEFA club competition on Sunday, a tournament which will mirror the current Champions League and Europa League format from 2021.

REUTERS: European football's governing body approved the creation of a third-tier UEFA club competition on Sunday, a tournament which will mirror the current Champions League and Europa League format from 2021.

At their meeting in Dublin, UEFA's Executive Committee finalised plans to introduce the event, with the working title 'UEL2', in the 2021 to 2014 competition cycle.

It will ensure that at least 34 countries will be represented in UEFA club competitions, compared to today's total of 26.

"The new UEFA club competition makes UEFA's club competitions more inclusive than ever before," UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said.

"There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages. This competition was borne out of ongoing dialogue with clubs through the European Club Association."

The format will see eight groups of four teams, followed by the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. Like the Europa League, matches will be played on Thursday.

An additional knockout round will be played before the round of 16 between teams ranked second in their groups and the third-ranked teams in the groups of the Europa League, which will run concurrently.

The new competition will feature 141 matches over 15 match weeks, exactly like the Europa League. The winner of the new competition will be entitled to participate in the Europa League in the following season.</s>DUBLIN — European soccer is launching a third club competition as UEFA seeks to get more countries involved in continent-wide matches.

Provisionally called UEL2, the competition will sit below the Champions League and Europa League from 2021. The plans were approved by the UEFA executive committee on Sunday, three years after the initial discussions were first revealed by The Associated Press.

UEL2 games will be played on Thursday nights — like the Europa League — with the intention of giving more countries the chance to be represented in European club competitions.

There will be eight groups each featuring four teams, with only the winners advancing automatically. The Europa League will mirror the new competition, so the group stage will be streamlined from 48 to 32 teams.

After the group stage, there will be a knockout round for UEL2 runners-up and the third-placed finishers in the Europa League to determine who advances to the round of 16.

A new-style knockout round will replace the round of 32 in the Europa League. Third-placed teams in the Champions League will take on Europa League group runners-up.

“The new UEFA club competition makes UEFA’s club competitions more inclusive than ever before,” UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said. “There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages.”

UEFA is guaranteeing that at least 34 of its 55 countries — up from 26 — will be represented in the group stage of its competitions as the result of the introduction of UEL2.

“There was a widespread demand by all clubs to increase their chances of participating more regularly in European competition,” Ceferin said. “This has been achieved with a strategic approach, and in accordance with UEFA’s objective of having both more quality and more inclusivity in our club competitions.”</s>A new competition in which the winner will qualify for the Europa League will start from 2021, UEFA has revealed.

UEFA has announced details of a new European club competition to be launched in 2021.

The creation of the tournament, which has the working title of UEL2, was approved following a meeting in Dublin, with the governing body saying its inception will ensure at least 34 countries will be represented in the group stages of UEFA club competitions.

Running alongside the Champions League and Europa League, the competition will feature 32 teams in the group stage, with games to be played on Thursdays.

Before the last 16 an additional knockout round will be played between the second-place finishers in the group stage and the sides who finish third in their respective Europa League groups.

The winner of the competition will qualify for the subsequent season’s Europa League.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said: “The new UEFA club competition makes UEFA’s club competitions more inclusive than ever before. There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages.

“This competition was borne out of ongoing dialogue with clubs through the European Club Association.

“There was a widespread demand by all clubs to increase their chances of participating more regularly in European competition.

“This has been achieved with a strategic approach, and in accordance with UEFA’s objective of having both more quality and more inclusivity in our club competitions.”</s>A new 32-team European club competition will be launched in 2021, governing body UEFA has announced.

The new-look Europa League II opens the door for another Premier League club to get into Europe.

They will run the new competition from 2021 and one English team will be offered a place with the eventual winners getting a place in the Europa League the following season.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said: “The new UEFA club competition makes UEFA’s club competitions more inclusive than ever before.

“There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages. This competition was borne out of ongoing dialogue with clubs through the European Club Association.”

The governing body have confirmed a new third competition, known as UEL2.

It will see 32 teams in eight groups of four, with third-placed teams in Europa League groups joining.

The competition is set to take place on Thursdays with some 3.30pm kick-offs.

UEFA said the third tournament has a working title of 'UEL2' would mirror those two tournaments, with 32 teams split into eight groups of four breaking into a last 16, eight, four and then two.

Quarter-finals and semi-finals will then follow, before a 141st game, the final.

Ceferin added: "There was a widespread demand by all clubs to increase their chances of participating more regularly in European competition.

"This has been achieved with a strategic approach, and in accordance with UEFA's objective of having both more quality and more inclusivity in our club competitions."

UEFA added that the fixtures will be played on a Thursday, the same day as the Europa League, with some games in a new time slot of 4:30pm CET.

The governing body will leave it to individual associations to decide the criteria for earning a place, be it through league placing or cup.

ECA chairman Andrea Agnelli welcomed the news, saying: "I am delighted that the UEFA Executive Committee has agreed to the changes ECA member clubs have been calling for.

"We believe that this outcome ensures that the UEFA club competitions continue to develop in a manner which is fair and balanced, meeting the demands and requirements necessary to ensure that football remains the number one sport globally.

"I would like to add that this whole process is testimony to the strong collaborative efforts of both ECA and UEFA at all levels."</s>European soccer's governing body approved the creation of a third-tier UEFA club competition on Sunday, a tournament which will mirror the current Champions League and Europa League format from 2021.

At their meeting in Dublin, UEFA's Executive Committee finalised plans to introduce the event, with the working title 'UEL2' and featuring 32 teams in the group stage, in the 2021 to 2024 competition cycle.

The Europa League group stage, meanwhile, will be reduced from 48 teams to 32.

UEFA said that the Champions League would remain unaltered, meaning that the four top-ranked leagues -- currently Spain, England, Germany and Italy -- would each keep four guaranteed places in the group stage.</s>UEFA approves creation of third club competition from 2021

Dublin, Dec 3 (AFP) UEFA confirmed the creation of a third European club competition from the 2021/22 season designed to offer more clubs and associations the chance to play European football.

After approval from UEFA's Executive Committee on Sunday in Dublin, the Europa League will be cut from its current 48-team group stage so that all three competitions feature 32 teams in eight groups of four.

The seventh-placed teams in Europe's top four leagues will qualify for the new competition, and they will be joined by a host of clubs from smaller associations.

While the structure to UEFA's landmark competition the Champions League remains untouched, Europa League winners will now progress automatically to the last 16 of the competition.

Teams that finish second in their Europa League group and third-placed teams from the eight Champions League groups will playoff to join the eight group winners in the last 16.

That process in repeated in the UEL2 with the eight second-placed teams from the group stage meeting the eight third-placed teams in the Europa League for a place in the last 16.

"There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages," said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.

"This competition was borne out of ongoing dialogue with clubs through the European Club Association.

"There was a widespread demand by all clubs to increase their chances of participating more regularly in European competition."

UEFA has been under increasing pressure to reform its club competitions by the threat of a breakaway super league formed by top clubs in England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France.

However, the new competition is designed to appease those further down the food chain unhappy at changes to guarantee English, Spanish, German and Italian clubs 16 of the 32 places available in the Champions League.

Matches in the UEL2 will be played like Europa League games on Thursday nights to ensure the Champions League's prime Tuesday and Wednesday night TV slots are untouched.

All three European finals will take place in the same week with the new competition played on the Wednesday, Europa League final a day later and Champions League final on Saturday</s>Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin (left), and President of Ireland Michael D Higgins, pose with the Henri Delaunay Trophy in Dublin

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin (left), and President of Ireland Michael D Higgins, pose with the Henri Delaunay Trophy in Dublin

UEFA HAVE ANNOUNCED details of a new European club competition to be launched in 2021.

The creation of the tournament, which has the working title of UEL2, was approved following a meeting in Dublin, with the governing body saying its inception will ensure at least 34 countries will be represented in the group stages of Uefa club competitions.

Running alongside the Champions League and Europa League, the competition will feature 32 teams in the group stage, with games to be played on Thursdays.

Before the last 16 an additional knockout round will be played between the second-place finishers in the group stage and the sides who finish third in their respective Europa League groups.

The winner of the competition will qualify for the following season’s Europa League. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said: “The new Uefa club competition makes Uefa’s club competitions more inclusive than ever before.

“There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages.

“This has been achieved with a strategic approach, and in accordance with Uefa’s objective of having both more quality and more inclusivity in our club competitions.”

Subscribe to our new podcast, Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42, here:</s>New 32-team European competition to be launched in 2021

A new 32-team European club competition will be launched in 2021.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said a "widespread demand" for participation at European level had led to the formation of the new tournament, which will sit under the Champions and Europa Leagues.

With a working title of 'UEL2', the 32-team competition will start at the beginning of the new UEFA cycle, which runs from 2021-2024.

Eight groups of four will be whittled down to a round of 16, following a play-off between the second-placed teams and those who finish third in the Europa League.

Quarter-finals and semi-finals will then follow, before a 141st game, the final.

"The new UEFA club competition makes UEFA's club competitions more inclusive than ever before," Ceferin said after the executive meeting in Dublin on Sunday.

"There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages. This competition was borne out of ongoing dialogue with clubs through the European Club Association (ECA).

"There was a widespread demand by all clubs to increase their chances of participating more regularly in European competition.

"This has been achieved with a strategic approach, and in accordance with UEFA's objective of having both more quality and more inclusivity in our club competitions."

The winner of the new tournament will then earn a place in the Europa League.

UEFA added that the fixtures will be played on a Thursday, the same day as the Europa League, with some games in a new time slot of 4.30pm (Central European Time).

The governing body will leave it to individual associations to decide the criteria for earning a place, be it through league placing or cup.

ECA chairman Andrea Agnelli welcomed the news, saying: "I am delighted that the UEFA Executive Committee has agreed to the changes ECA member clubs have been calling for.

"We believe that this outcome ensures that the UEFA club competitions continue to develop in a manner which is fair and balanced, meeting the demands and requirements necessary to ensure that football remains the number one sport globally.

"I would like to add that this whole process is testimony to the strong collaborative efforts of both ECA and UEFA at all levels."</s>The new tournament, which has been given the working title of Europa League Two, will mirror the existing Champions League and Europa League tournaments and feature 32 teams in a group stage.

It will be played on Thursdays alongside the current Europa League with eight groups of four, followed by a round of 16, quarter finals, semi-finals and final.

UEFA say its introduction will guarantee at least 34 countries will be represented in the group stage of a European club competition, as opposed to 26 in the current format.

"The new UEFA club competition makes UEFA’s club competitions more inclusive than ever before,” President Aleksander Čeferin said.

There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages. This competition was borne out of ongoing dialogue with clubs through the European Club Association.

Just like the current Europa League, the competition will feature 141 matches spread over 15 weeks.

The winner will then be entitled to play in the original Europa League the following season.

"There was a widespread demand by all clubs to increase their chances of participating more regularly in European competition,” Čeferin added.

“This has been achieved with a strategic approach, and in accordance with UEFA’s objective of having both more quality and more inclusivity in our club competitions."

The Champions League will not be affected by the changes, but the Europa League will be “streamlined” with an additional knock-out round played before the round of 16 between teams ranked second in their groups and the third-ranked teams of the Champions League groups.

A similar round will take place in the new tournament, between teams ranked second in their groups and the third-ranked teams of the Europa League groups.

Elsewhere, earlier today the qualifying draw was completed for UEFA Euro 2020.

World champions France have been drawn in Group H alongside Iceland, Turkey, Albania, Moldova and Andorra.

Croatia are in Group E with Wales, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan, while Belgium, who finished third in the World Cup earlier this year, are in Group I with Russia, Scotland, Cyprus, Kazakhstan and San Marino.
UEFA confirms that a new annual European football club competition called UEFA Europa League 2 will be introduced in 2021.