The upcoming UEFA Europa League season will usher in a storm of sweeping changes. It is reported that the number of participating teams will be expanded from the current 32 to 36, which not only brings the expansion of the number of participants, but also heralds a major reshuffle of the competition mode. The UEFA officially announced on Monday (4) that the UEFA will introduce a "Swiss League" format next season, a change that will replace the traditional group stage system and ensure that each team participates in at least eight matches, up to a maximum of 17, in an effort to reach the final round in a more equitable manner.
Under the new system, 36 clubs will play together in four tiers. Each club will play two teams from each tier, one home and one away, for a total of eight matches. After 8 rounds of matches, the top 8 clubs in the table will be locked into the Top 16. Clubs ranked 9th to 24th will compete for the remaining 8 Top 16 spots, with the 9th to 16th seeded teams advancing directly to the Play-Offs. Those ranked 25th and below will bid farewell to the UEFA Europa League.
Going into the knockout stages, the existing rules will continue. Should clubs wish to participate in the play-offs and eventually reach the final, the number of UEFA Europa League matches played throughout the season will be 17, which is two matches less than the previous plan for the Central European Super League. The merger of the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Cup will also see the adoption of the "Swiss League", but the league stage will remain unchanged at six matches.
