Six pots, six matches
The Conference League also has 36 teams in one league table, but its shape is different from the Champions and Europa League. Instead of 4 pots of 9, it uses 6 pots of 6.
Each team plays only 6 matches — one opponent from each of the six pots. The home/away split is balanced across the whole set: 3 home and 3 away (not one home and one away per pot).
Draw constraints
The country rules are the same as the other two competitions: no team faces a club from its own country, and no more than 2 opponents come from any single other country.
Knockouts
Qualification works like the other competitions: the top 8 reach the Round of 16 directly, teams ranked 9th–24th contest the knockout play-offs, and 25th–36th are eliminated. From the Round of 16 it is a standard bracket to the final.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the Conference League have 6 matches, not 8?
Its league phase is built on 6 pots of 6, so each team plays one opponent from each pot — six games — with 3 at home and 3 away.
Does it still have 36 teams?
Yes. The number of teams is the same as the Champions and Europa League; only the pot structure and number of matches differ.
Try the Conference League draw
Draw the 6-pot league phase yourself and watch the opponents revealed live, then simulate the season.