UEFA Europa League and UEFA Cup All-Time Tables, Statistics, Winners,Goalscorers, Progress Charts. The UEFA Europa League, originally established as the UEFA Cup in 1971, is an annual European club football competition organized by UEFA. It is considered the second most prestigious club tournament in Europe after the UEFA Champions League. The competition features clubs that qualify based on their performance in national leagues and cup competitions across Europe. Initially, the UEFA Cup finals were played over two legs at each finalist's home stadium until 1997. Since 1998, the final has been a single match held at a neutral venue. The competition was rebranded as the UEFA Europa League in 2009, introducing a format similar to the Champions League with a group stage followed by knockout rounds. The winner of the Europa League earns a spot in the following season's UEFA Champions League, adding to the tournament's competitiveness. Sevilla FC is the most successful club in the competition's history, having won seven titles. The tournament has been dominated by Spanish clubs overall, with Spain holding the record for the most wins by nation. The first UEFA Cup winner was Tottenham Hotspur in 1972, while the current champions as of 2024 are Atalanta. This competition has evolved from the UEFA Cup into the Europa League, maintaining its status as a key European club tournament with rich history and significant all-time statistics.