UEFA To Launch 'Europa League 2' In '21

A third European club competition with the working title "Europa League 2" will be introduced from '21, according to the BBC. One English team will enter the playoffs of the new tournament, while Scottish sides "may miss out on Europa League places in a reshuffle." As part of UEFA's '21-24 cycle, the Europa League "will be halved in size to 32 teams" with an extra playoff round between the group stage and last 16. The new tournament will be played on Thursdays alongside the Europa League. The new competition and Europa League will have the same format -- eight groups of four teams with the winner going into the last 16. There will be a playoff before that round for the teams who finish second in the group and sides who finish third in the groups of the higher tournament. The winners of the tournament will qualify for the following season's Europa League (BBC, 12/2).