UEFA establishes second-tier club tournament as investment in women’s soccer deepens

The GIST: In addition to sweetening the pot for Europe’s national teams, UEFA has been committed to creating a holistic ecosystem for women’s soccer at the club level. On Monday, the organization shared details around the Women’s Europa Cup, a second-tier club competition hoping to drive domestic investment in the women’s game across Europe.

• The move follows UEFA’s recent $1.08B commitment to grow the women’s game at all tiers, which is crucial for creating a pipeline of athletic talent and generating fandom in smaller markets. Started from the bottom.

The tournament: After UEFA floated the idea last December, the governing body confirmed in July that the competition will begin in 2025 and follow a similar format to the top-tier Women’s Champions League (WCL). In the Women’s Europa Cup, thirteen teams will qualify for the tournament from lower-ranked soccer associations, such as Norway’s Toppserien and Iceland’s Besta deild kvenna.

• Plus, clubs eliminated from the second and third qualifying rounds of the WCL will join the tournament, while the Europa Cup winner will punch its ticket to the WCL’s third qualifying round the following season.

The comparison: The men’s side is more developed at the lower club levels — the second-tier UEFA Europa League competition has existed since 1971 and ranks above the UEFA Conference League, a third-tier tournament launched in 2021. In 2022–23, both competitions combined generated about $504M in revenue.

Zooming out: While lower-level clubs cultivate more opportunities for athletes, coaches, and viewers, they also create a space for brands looking to come off the sidelines. For companies that want to reach avid fans, second-tier competitions are a great way to dip their toes into women’s sports without spending millions for a spot among top-tier tournaments.

• North America could hop on this trend by utilizing the pre-professional USL W and the pro USL W Super League, which is looking to develop its own multi-tiered pipeline in a fragmented U.S. soccer pyramid. While American leagues aren’t quite there, fandom is, and so is the interest in international club competitions like the Summer Cup. ¡Ándale!