UEFA Women’s Europa Cup: Format, schedule, draw and ‘fundamental milestone’

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·26 de febrero de 2025

UEFA Women’s Europa Cup: Format, schedule, draw and ‘fundamental milestone’

With the introduction of the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup, we will see even more European women’s football on our screens next season.

The UEFA Executive Committee approved the Europa Cup in December 2024 for a 2025/26 season launch. It will allow more teams to test themselves against other European opposition and prevent incentives to aim for the top of the league table at a domestic level to qualify.

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Women’s Europa Cup marks ‘fundamental milestone’

It was announced after extensive consultation and collaboration with the European Club Association, national associations, leagues and competing clubs.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said: “UEFA has placed huge importance on developing women’s football in recent years, making enormous strides thanks to a dedicated strategy, solid investment and a passion to ensure the game is open to everybody. The new UEFA Women’s Champions League format and introducing a second competition further demonstrate this commitment. Both will be exciting, competitive competitions that allow more players and clubs across the continent to dream of European glory.”

Nadine Kessler, UEFA managing director of women’s football, said: “Despite the success story of the UEFA Women’s Champions League in recent years, we will not stand still. Today, we look forward to another fundamental milestone for the professionalisation of European club football. The new format for the UEFA Women’s Champions League will reinforce the competition’s position at the pinnacle of club football. Introducing the new second competition will further incentivise domestic growth and help us build a strong and open European football pyramid that everyone can be proud of.”

How will the Women’s Europa Cup look?

Presenting the 🏆 UEFA Women’s Europa Cup 🏆! The UEFA Executive Committee has approved the name of the newly created second women’s club competition that will kick off from the 2025/26 season. 🤩 An exciting new era for women's football in Europe!
– lunes, 16 de diciembre de 2024

The new competition is similar to the Women’s Champion’s League. The Europa Cup features two qualifying rounds, a round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals. However, one major difference is the final will be played over two legs.

Thirteen teams, including the third-placed team in the domestic league, whose associations run 8–13, and the runners-up of associations ranked 18–24, will be entered directly.

Similarly to the men’s system, if you win the Women’s Europa Cup, you will automatically qualify for the third qualifying round of the Women’s Champions League the following season, no matter where you finish in the domestic league.

This also impacts the running of the Champions League, which will be revamped and feature an 18-team single-league phase. In 2023, the proposal was made public.

Champions League structure criticism

Manchester United manager Skinner blasted the Champions League format after PSG eliminated his side over two legs.

Skinner said: “Teams are going through this competition [group stage] that are not good enough. Our standard is better than that, and it’s wild that we have to play PSG in this qualifying round. And it needs to be something that’s addressed. The word is crazy. You saw how hard we had to work last year to get into a qualifying round? It’s wild. Look how far Arsenal went last year, look how far Chelsea went, and yet we still have to qualify?

“It doesn’t work. And if something doesn’t work, you should look at fixing it. I mean, there are other teams in other leagues — Wolfsburg went out tonight. They were in the final last year. I’m mad. That can’t happen, right? One or two games and you’re out of the Champions League? But you get through to the Group Stage, and you get your momentum and can run with it, and the best teams get through. I don’t think right now that the best teams are getting out of these qualifying rounds.”

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2025/26 Women’s Champions League schedule

First qualifying round (one-venue mini-tournaments)

Draw: 16 June, Nyon (date TBC)Semi-finals: 30 JulyFinal/third-place play-off: 2 August

Second qualifying round (one-venue mini-tournaments)

Draw: 16 June, Nyon (date TBC)Semi-finals: 27 AugustFinal/third-place play-off: 30 August

Third qualifying round

Draw: 1 September Nyon (date TBC)First leg: 11 SeptemberSecond leg: 18 September

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League phase

Draw: 19 September, Nyon (date TBC)Matchday 1: 7/8 OctoberMatchday 2: 15/16 OctoberMatchday 3: 11/12 NovemberMatchday 4: 19/20 NovemberMatchday 5: 9/10 DecemberMatchday 6: 17 December