The introduction of yet another major UEFA competition drew eye rolls when the Conference League was first announced, but Europe’s tertiary continental tournament has been an undisputed success.
The competition has handed invaluable opportunities to so-called lesser clubs, allowing them to live out their European dreams and compete with adversaries of a similar level for major silverware.
While only birthed this decade, the Conference League has already provided countless memorable moments for teams, players and supporters across the continent.
Here is a full breakdown of the competition’s most successful sides.
Full List of Conference League Champions
The Conference League’s inaugural campaign was 2021–22 and Roma was its first champion. José Mourinho continued his love affair with UEFA competition as he led the Italian giants to their first piece of continental silverware since the 1960–61 season, courtesy of a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Arne Slot’s Feyenoord in the showpiece event.
Another team ended their lengthy wait for a European trophy the following year, West Ham United powering their way to a first major title since 1980. The most dramatic of finals to date was decided in the dying embers as Jarrod Bowen’s strike ensured a 2–1 win over Fiorentina, the Italians beaten finalists one again in 2023–24.
This time Olympiacos were Fiorentina’s conquerors, the Greek behemoths conquering the likes of Ferencváros, Fenerbahçe and Aston Villa en route to the final. Extra time was required to separate the sides, Ayoub El Kaabi scoring his 11th goal of the competition in the 116th minute to create history.
Chelsea are the most high-profile club to have won the Conference League, achieving the feat in 2024–25. A poor domestic campaign saw the Blues settle for their place in a competition not built for sides with such vast riches and array of superstar talents. Unsurprisingly, Chelsea won the competition at a canter, fielding their second-string side for much of the tournament before thrashing Real Betis 4–1 in the final.
The 2025–26 final could see a third different English winner when Crystal Palace take on Rayo Vallecano.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Roma |
| 2022–23 | West Ham United |
| 2023–24 | Olympiacos |
| 2024–25 | Chelsea |
Conference League All-Time Top Scorers
| Player | Club(s) | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Mikael Ishak | Lech Poznań | 13 |
| Eran Zahavi | PSV Eindhoven, Maccabi Tel Aviv | 12 |
| Arthur Cabral | Basel, Fiorentina | 12 |
| Vangelis Pavlidis | AZ Alkmaar | 12 |
| Ayoub El Kaabi | Olympiacos | 11 |
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