The UEFA Conference League rules, regulations & format explained

Information

2 Oct 2025

For the first time in our history, Crystal Palace are taking part in a major European competition. But what is the UEFA Conference League, and what does everyone need to know about the rules, regulations and format? Here’s everything you need to know…

What's the Conference League about?

First formed ahead of 2021/22, the UEFA Conference League is now entering its fifth season.

The idea behind the tournament was to ensure a greater number of associations are represented in the group stage across the competitions. Having three club competitions in European football wasn’t unprecedented with the Champions League, UEFA Cup and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup previously running alongside one another until the latter was abolished in 1999.

The competition primarily runs on Thursday nights alongside the Europa League, and is the third-tier European competition.

Winners of the tournament not only collect a magnificent trophy, but are also granted automatic qualification for the Europa League the following season, if required.

The first edition of the Conference League saw Jose Mourinho’s Roma side defeat Feyenoord 1-0 in Tirana, marking the first time an Italian side had won a European trophy in 12 years.

In the short history of the competition, on two occasions English sides have prevailed. West Ham United won the trophy in 2023 with a dramatic 2-1 win over Italian side Fiorentina.

Last season, Chelsea won the competition after a 4-1 final victory over Spanish opponents Real Betis in Poland, losing just one game along the way.

What rules should I be aware of?

Before each match, each team must confirm, using the match sheet, the 23 players in the team and up to 15 team officials, one of whom must be a team doctor. The match sheet must indicate the number and, if applicable, the shirt name that each player will wear during the match.
Up to five of the substitutes listed on each team’s match sheet may take part in the match.
Additionally, a sixth substitute listed on the match sheet may take part in knockout matches exclusively during extra time.
Each team may use a maximum of three stoppages in play to make substitutions (one additional stoppage in extra time can be used). Substitutions made before the start of the match, during half-time, between the end of normal playing time and extra time, and at half-time during extra time do not reduce the number of stoppages in play that can be used.
Video assistant refereeing (VAR) will be used throughout the UEFA Europa Conference League, having been introduced to the competition in the 2023/24 season.

Who's in Crystal Palace's squad?

In each squad's 25-man ‘List A’, eight places are reserved exclusively for homegrown ("locally trained") players – at least four of which must qualify as 'club-trained'.

These 'club-trained' players must have all been with Palace for at least three entire years between the ages of 15 and 21.

There can also be, within the eight "locally trained" players, a number of ‘association-trained’ players, who have played in England for at least three years between the same age range.

Find out which Palace players qualify under which category here.

What's the tournament format?

The format of all three UEFA competitions was tweaked ahead of the 2024/25 season and will be maintained this year.

Following the qualification and play-off rounds – with every team having to qualify – 36 teams are kicking off the tournament proper.

First up is the league phase round. Each team will play six league fixtures between 2nd October and 18th December.

A draw on Friday, 29th August took place to determine plays who in the league phase. The draw featured the 24 winners of Conference League play-off round ties and the 12 losers from the Europa League play-off round.

All six of our opponents have been from different UEFA associations, with no two teams playing each other more than once.

The dates and kick-off times of Crystal Palace's six league phase matches were subsequently confirmed (all times below UK time):

Thursday, 2nd October (17:45 BST): Dynamo Kyiv (A) – from Ukraine
Thursday, 23rd October (20:00): AEK Larnaca (H) – from Cyprus
Thursday, 6th November (20:00 GMT): AZ Alkmaar (H) – from the Netherlands
Thursday, 27th November (20:00): RC Strasbourg (A) – from France
Thursday, 11th December (20:00): Shelbourne FC (A) – from the Republic of Ireland
Thursday, 18th December (20:00): KuPS KUOPIO (H) – from Finland

Once the six matchdays have taken place, the final league table will determine who qualifies for the knockout stage – and at what round they will enter.

Keeping up so far? This is where it gets a little complex.

The top eight sides after six league games advance straight to the round of 16. Sides ranking 9th-24th will qualify for a two-legged play-off round.

The winners of those ties will join the top eight, in the Round of 16. Clubs finishing 25th-36th will be eliminated.

From the Round of 16 onwards, the competition mirrors other European tournaments, with two-legged home and away knockout ties – until the final, which is a one-off game at a neutral stadium.

The competition dates for the knockout round are as follows: