• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Little-known rule means seventh-tier side could qualify for Europa Conference League tonight

Home> Football> Football News

Published 12:45 8 May 2024 GMT+1

Little-known rule means seventh-tier side could qualify for Europa Conference League tonight

The minnows are one win away from playing in Europe.

Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton

An amateur club playing in the seventh tier of Swiss football could qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League tonight thanks to a little-known rule.

As the domestic club season draws to a close, teams across Europe are fighting to qualify for European competitions next term.

While the race for Champions League football has wrapped up in many leagues, there are still places in the Europa League and Europa Conference League up for grabs.

Advert

Remarkably, one of those places could go to an amateur club from the microstate of Liechtenstein.

Fussball-Club Triesenberg have the opportunity to secure a place in the qualifying rounds of the 2024-25 Europa Conference League, and if they do so it will be one of the most bizarre football stories of the year.

Being a principality of 39,000 people, Liechtenstein has just seven football clubs and is the only UEFA nation that does not have a domestic league.

Advert

The clubs therefore play in Switzerland's football pyramid, with FC Vaduz playing in the Swiss second division as the highest ranked club from Liechtenstein.

Teams from Liechtenstein cannot qualify for the Champions League, as they participate in the Swiss leagues as 'guest clubs'.

However, the Liechtenstein Football Cup - introduced in 1945 - offers a place in Europa Conference League qualification to the winner.

This season's final sees 49-time winners Vaduz take on Triesenberg, an amateur team that plays in Switzerland's seventh tier. The team's home is in a municipality of the same name which has a population of around 2,600.

Advert

The winner of the match will enter the first qualifying round of the Europa Conference League, with ties set to take place on 11 & 18 July 2024.

Triesenberg have only reached the final once before, losing 5-0 to Vaduz in 2015. Vaduz have won the last nine editions of the competition, and hold the world record for the most domestic cup wins by a single club (49).

Minnows have competed in Europe before, including Gibraltar sides Europa FC and Lincoln Red Imps.

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Football, UEFA, Europa Conference League

Alex Brotherton
Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton is a journalist at SPORTbible. He has previously worked with publications including the Manchester Evening News, GOAL and BBC Sport. He is a football fanatic, but also dabbles in tennis and American football. He can often be found watching dreadful non-league football.

X

@alex_brotherton

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

6 hours ago
7 hours ago
10 hours ago
  • 6 hours ago

    Erik ten Hag to get rid of Bayer Leverkusen player for the second time after selling him to the club while in charge of Man Utd

    Former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag looks poised to get rid of the same player for two different clubs.

    Football
  • 7 hours ago

    Fans lose their minds and say 'announce Yamal' after Barcelona superstar spotted in Premier League club's shirt

    Lamine Yamal sent fans wild this week after being seen in an iconic English football shirt.

    Football
  • 7 hours ago

    Sir Alex Ferguson ripped into former Man Utd star for what he allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to do

    Sir Alex Ferguson lectured the former Manchester United player following the incident with Cristiano Ronaldo.

    Football
  • 10 hours ago

    Football legend reveals he was on the verge of signing for Man Utd after idolising Old Trafford star for years

    The player represented the likes of Barcelona, Inter and AC Milan during his career but never got the chance to play for Manchester United.

    Football
  • Why Chelsea vs Servette is not on TV due to little-known Europa Conference League rule
  • Chelsea must follow strict UEFA rule following Conference League final win against Real Betis
  • Tottenham qualify for little-known UEFA tournament only one team has ever won after Europa League final win
  • Crystal Palace still face being kicked out of Europa League as new 'rules breach' bombshell dropped