Chelsea, two-time European champions, will face familiar foes and new challenges in the upcoming UEFA Conference League season. The draw for the newly formatted tournament, which features an expanded league phase, placed Chelsea in a group with teams from Armenia, Ireland, and Belgium.
Chelsea will host Armenian side Noah, Irish club Shamrock Rovers, and Belgian outfit Gent in their home matches. They will travel to Germany to face Heidenheim, a newcomer to the European stage, and Greece to play Panathinaikos. Their most geographically challenging match will be against Astana, located in Kazakhstan, four time zones away.
For Chelsea, winning the Conference League would be a significant accomplishment. It would complete their European trophy set, adding to their Champions League title in 2021 and other European finals victories over the past 12 years.
The Conference League, a third-tier competition, has a unique format. All 36 teams compete in a single standings throughout the league phase, playing six games against six different opponents. This format replaces the traditional group stage structure. The top eight teams in the standings after the league phase, which concludes on December 19th, will automatically qualify for the round of 16 in March. Teams finishing ninth to 24th will enter the knockout playoffs in February, while the bottom 12 teams will be eliminated.
The final of the tournament will be held on May 28th in Wroclaw, Poland. The total prize money for the competition is €285 million ($315 million). Each team receives a starting fee of €3.17 million ($3.5 million) and additional bonuses for wins and draws in the league phase and for progressing through the knockout rounds.
This season marks the first time Northern Ireland and Wales will have teams playing in the group stage of a European competition. Larne, from Northern Ireland, will face their Irish rivals, Shamrock Rovers, at home. The New Saints, from Wales, will have a challenging away match against Fiorentina, the 2023 Conference League finalists.
