The UEFA Women’s Europa Cup launches next month as Europe’s new second-tier club tournament. 43 clubs take part, and the entire competition is straight two-leg knockout ties – even the final.
12 clubs qualify automatically based on their domestic performance, and a whopping 31 clubs eliminated from the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying also enter.
Qualification is complex, with teams entering at different stages. We’ve simplified it to make it easier for you (and us) to follow.
How it Works
Tournament Format
Six rounds (all two-leg ties, even the final):
- First Qualifying Round
- Second Qualifying Round
- Round of 16
- Quarter-finals
- Semi-finals
- Final
Prize for winner
- Automatic place in UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) Champions Path Round 3 next season.
Who’s Already in?
Direct entrants (12 clubs):
- Third-placed teams from associations ranked 8–13: (Czechia, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Austria, Ukraine)
- Runners-up from associations ranked 18–24: (Switzerland, Serbia, Albania, Cyprus, Belgium, Finland)
From the UWCL (31 clubs):
- 11 third-place teams from UWCL Round 2 mini-tournaments.
- 11 runners-up from UWCL Round 2 mini-tournaments
- 9 clubs eliminated in UWCL Round 3
How the Qualifying Rounds Work
First Qualifying Round
- 11 direct entrants
- 11 third-place teams from UWCL Round 2
- Winners advance to Round 2
Second Qualifying Round
- 11 Round 1 winners
- 1 direct entrant (Slovácko)
- 11 runners-up from UWCL Round 2
- 9 clubs eliminated in UWCL Round 3
- Winners advance to the Round of 16.
Key Dates
Qualifying Round 1
- Draw: 31 Aug (13:00 CET)
- First Leg: 10–11 Sep
- Second Leg: 17–18 Sep
Qualifying Round 2
- Draw: 19 Sep
- First Leg: 7–8 Oct
- Second leg: 15–16 Oct
Round of 16
- Draw: 17 Oct
- First leg: 11–12 Nov
- Second leg: 19–20 Nov
Quarter-finals
- First Leg: 11-12 Feb 26
- Second Leg: 18-19 Feb 26
Semi-finals
- First leg: 24-25 Mar 26
- Second Leg: 1-2 Apr 26
Final (two legs)
- First leg: 25/26 Apr 26
- Second Leg: 2/3 May 26
How to Watch
- UEFA is expected to announce European broadcast partners shortly. In the UK, coverage details have not yet been confirmed, but BBC and ITV are likely candidates given their existing women’s football rights.
VERTA’s Take
84 extra women’s football matches that didn’t exist last year. If you needed more proof of the game’s growing power and popularity, this is it.
The Europa Cup opens the European stage to more clubs than ever. It gives lower-ranked teams a shot at continental football, and their fans the opportunity to see them face a host of clubs with different styles.
With everything decided over two legs — even the final — this is pure knockout drama: new names, fresh rivalries, and a mammoth amount of football to enjoy. And while the early rounds may be uneven, the sheer volume of games and opportunity is a win for clubs and fans alike.
Read our Ultimate Guide to the new UEFA Women’s Champions League format here
