The 2024/25 Conference League is the fourth edition of the Conference League and the first played under the new Swiss model format.
It now enters the knockout stage after an exciting league phase that saw Chelsea finish at the top with a flawless record. The knockout rounds promise even more drama and surprises until 20 February before the Round of 16 in March.
As punters and fans look forward to the knockout round and the upcoming stages, we look at some of the Conference League odds and predictions.
Conference League History
The Conference League was introduced in the 2021/22 season to make the European club competitions more inclusive.
The tournament, third in status behind the Europa League and Champions League, was first announced in 2018 under the provisional title Europa League 2. It was named the Europa Conference League in late 2019, and the trophy was revealed in May 2021 before it officially began.
Roma was the first team to win the title after defeating Feyenoord 1-0 at the Arena Kombëtare in Tirana, Albania. A year later, West Ham completed the competition without a loss and took home the title after securing a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in the final. La Viola had another chance to be champions in 2023, but against the odds on the Conference League final, they lost 1-0 to Olympiakos.
In the 2024/25 season, it was announced that the competition would be rebranded to the Conference League, and the 32-team group stage would be replaced with a 36-team league phase.
Conference League Overview
The Conference League starts with the qualifiers, where more than 100 teams compete for a spot in the league phase. After three qualifying rounds, 48 teams enter the playoff round, where they play two-legged matches. The 24 teams who emerge victorious advance to the league phase, with 12 of the teams that lost in the Europa League playoffs.
In the Conference League league phase, each of the 36 teams plays 6 games—3 at home and 3 away—then is ranked according to their points. The top 8 teams automatically advance to the Round of 16, while the 9th to 24th teams in the standings enter the knockout phase playoffs to earn their spot in the final 16. The rest of the teams are eliminated from the competition.
After the Round of 16, the top teams head into the finals. The winners take home the trophy and are guaranteed entry into the league stage of the following season's Europa League if they don't qualify for the Champions League through their home league position.
Conference League Winner Odds
Chelsea has the best odds of reaching the finals and taking home the title. The Conference League odds drop significantly for the rest of the teams, suggesting that an upset is quite unlikely.
Conference League 2024/25 Predictions
Chelsea are overwhelming favourites to win the 2024/25 Conference League. Despite failing to earn a spot in the Europa League and Champions League this season, they have the depth, experience, and financial power to dominate this competition.
The Blues already have six European titles to their name, with the most recent being the 2020/21 Champions League title and the 2019 Europa League title in 2019.
With six wins in six games and a 21+ goal differential, Chelsea was unstoppable in the league phase. But the rest of the top 8 teams are within a few points of the Blues, which you should consider when football betting. Vitória SC, Cercle Brugge, and last season's runner-up, Fiorentina, have shown consistency throughout the competition and remain strong contenders.
Bet on the Conference League
The finals are still months away, but the knockout phase and Round of 16 have several popular markets for Conference League betting, including:
- Match Winner
- Handicap
- Half Time
- First/Last/Anytime Goalscorer
- Winning Margin
- Both Teams to Score
- Match Result and Both Teams to Score
- Draw No Bet
- Over/Under Goals
It'll be much easier to pick out the strongest contenders based on their performance in the Round of 16. At that point, you can consider markets like 'Conference League Winner' and 'To Reach the Finals.'
Why Bet on the Conference League at Betsson?
Betsson offers hundreds of pre-match and in-play markets for all the Conference League games. It also has some of the most competitive Champions League odds and Europa League odds that offer the best potential return on wagers.
