Media release from UEFA Media service
UEFA Cup to become UEFA Europa League from 2009/10 season

The UEFA Executive Committee has approved the proposed change of name for the UEFA Cup, to the UEFA Europa League, from the 2009/10 season onwards.

The new name is only one of a number of significant changes for the future of the competition that include:
- a new sporting format
- full centralisation of broadcasting rights from the group stage
- full sponsorship centralisation from the knockout stage
- a presenting Sponsor and Official Matchball Supplier from the group stage
- a brand-new logo and visual identity

The changes to the name, logo and brand identity of the competition are the logical conclusionfollowing the decision to alter the format of the UEFA Cup and create a true group stage with bothhome and away matches. This decision was taken by the UEFA Executive Committee in Lucerne, Switzerland, back in December 2007.

With the change of name to UEFA Europa League, to better reflect the league nature of thecompetition and the enhancements of logo and brand, the changes are such that from the 2009/10season the UEFA Cup effectively becomes a ‘new’ competition.

The new name and logo will help create a new identity for a competition with its own special character and unique sporting appeal. The new format will result in many teams from all over Europe contestingthe new UEFA Europa League, with teams from emerging countries or lesser known teams challenging the ‘old’ order of established European clubs. It is exactly this special character that the new identity will seek to capture.

UEFA’s ambition in making all these changes is to rejuvenate the competition in the light of the new European football landscape, which has changed significantly with the continued success of the UEFAChampions League, so that the UEFA Europa League can re-establish itself as a major European clubfootball competition.

Commenting on the new UEFA Europa League, UEFA President Michel Platini, said: “These changes will improve this historic competition that is very important for UEFA and for European football, as it gives more fans, players and clubs the thrill of European club football. I am convinced the new format will give the UEFA Europa League a successful new impetus.”

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