Conference League Winners: Complete Trophy History, Past Champions, And European Rewards
The UEFA Conference League has dramatically transformed European club football since its debut in 2021. Designed to provide competitive international exposure to clubs across the continent, the tournament delivers high-octane knockout drama, historic individual achievements, and immediate pathways to higher-tier UEFA competitions.
| Season | Winner | Runner-Up | Final Score | Key Distinction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | AS Roma | Feyenoord | 1–0 | Inaugural champion under José Mourinho |
| 2022–23 | West Ham United | Fiorentina | 2–1 | First major European trophy for club in 58 years |
| 2023–24 | Olympiacos | Fiorentina | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | First Greek club to win a major UEFA title |
| 2024–25 | Chelsea | Real Betis | 2–1 | First winner under the rebranded single-league format |
| 2025–26 | Real Betis | Fiorentina | 1–0 | Historic continental triumph for the Spanish club |
Historic Triumphs and the Evolution of the Competition
The competition launched during the 2021–22 campaign, instantly capturing global attention when AS Roma secured the inaugural title in Tirana. The victory made manager José Mourinho the first coach in history to win all three major active UEFA European club trophies: the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.
Subsequent editions expanded the tournament's reputation for high-stakes drama and emotional victories:
- West Ham United (2022–23): Secured a thrilling 2–1 victory over Fiorentina in Prague, ending a 58-year wait for major European silverware following Jarrod Bowen’s dramatic 90th-minute winner.
- Olympiacos (2023–24): Made history in Athens by becoming the first Greek senior club team to lift a major UEFA trophy, condemning Fiorentina to back-to-back final defeats.
- Rebranding Era (2024–25 onward): UEFA officially dropped "Europa" from the tournament's title, streamlining the brand to the UEFA Conference League to establish a standalone identity alongside Europe's top two competitions.
The tournament consistently provides a vital platform for ambitious clubs seeking to establish a lasting presence on the international stage.
Europa League Access, Financial Bonuses, and Trophy Impact
Winning the UEFA Conference League delivers far more than a place in football history. The immediate sporting and financial benefits create transformative growth for victorious clubs.
Key rewards guaranteed to Conference League winners include:
- Europa League Qualification: The champion automatically earns direct entry into the following season's UEFA Europa League league phase, avoiding multi-round summer qualifiers.
- Financial Windfalls: Winners collect substantial UEFA performance bonuses, typically reaching €15 million to €20 million when combining prize money, broadcast revenues, and ticketing.
- Coefficient Ranking Boost: Match victories deliver crucial points toward a club's individual UEFA coefficient, improving seeding in future European draws.
- Silverware Prestige: Champions lift an iconic 11-kilogram bronze trophy featuring 32 curved hexagonal lines, representing the original group-stage participant structure.
Why UEFA Conference League winners Chelsea won't be involved in Super Cup
League Phase Expansion and the 2026–27 Horizon
Following UEFA's structural overhaul, the Conference League operates under a dynamic 36-team league phase system. Teams face six distinct opponents—three at home and three away—replacing the old four-team group arrangement to guarantee more high-profile matchups earlier in the tournament.
As the 2026–27 European campaign accelerates this August 2026, rigorous qualifying rounds are setting the stage for the next European run. With mid-tier contenders and emerging dark horses battling through summer play-offs, joining the elite roster of Conference League winners remains one of the most coveted achievements in modern European football.
