The UEFA Super Cup is an annual European soccer match featuring the winners of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. The one-game showdown brings together two of the previous season’s biggest European trophy winners to determine the UEFA Super Cup champion.
Typically played in August, the UEFA Super Cup is one of the first major European club matches of the new season.
What Is the UEFA Super Cup?
The UEFA Super Cup is an official competition organized by UEFA, European soccer’s governing body.
Unlike the Champions League and Europa League, which are played across an entire season, the Super Cup is decided in a single match.
The matchup features the previous season’s UEFA Champions League winner and UEFA Europa League winner.
The winning team lifts the UEFA Super Cup trophy and adds another official European title to its record.
How Does the UEFA Super Cup Work?
There are no group stages, qualifying rounds or two-legged knockout ties in the UEFA Super Cup. It is simply one game between the Champions League and Europa League winners.
The match is played at a venue selected by UEFA. The team that wins the game becomes the UEFA Super Cup champion.
If the match is tied after regulation, UEFA’s rules for that edition determine how the winner is decided, potentially including a penalty shootout.
Who Qualifies for the UEFA Super Cup?
Only two clubs qualify for the UEFA Super Cup each season: the UEFA Champions League winner and the UEFA Europa League winner.
A club does not qualify based on its domestic league position or domestic cup performance. Qualification comes specifically from winning one of UEFA’s two competitions.
When Is the UEFA Super Cup Played?
The UEFA Super Cup is generally played in August, around the beginning of the new European club season.
That timing makes the game an early-season showcase featuring two clubs that won major European trophies during the previous campaign.
Unlike domestic super cups, the UEFA Super Cup brings together champions from competitions involving clubs from across Europe.
Is the UEFA Super Cup a Major Trophy?
Yes. The UEFA Super Cup is an official UEFA trophy and counts as a European title for the winning club.
However, it is generally considered less prestigious than winning the Champions League or Europa League. One reason is the format. While clubs must navigate numerous matches to win the Champions League or Europa League, the UEFA Super Cup itself consists of only one game.
Still, winning it gives a club another opportunity to claim European silverware and potentially add to a multi-trophy season.
When Did the UEFA Super Cup Start?
The UEFA Super Cup dates back to the 1970s.
Originally, the competition brought together the winners of the European Cup — the predecessor to today’s Champions League — and the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
After the Cup Winners’ Cup was discontinued, the winner of the UEFA Cup, which later became the UEFA Europa League, took its place.
The modern matchup therefore features the Champions League champion against the Europa League champion.
Is the UEFA Super Cup the Same as the Champions League?
No. The UEFA Super Cup and Champions League are separate competitions.
The Champions League is UEFA’s premier season-long club competition. Winning it earns a team a place in the following UEFA Super Cup.
The Super Cup is a one-match competition between the Champions League winner and Europa League winner.
Champions League winner vs. Europa League winner = UEFA Super Cup.
Why Is the UEFA Super Cup Important?
The UEFA Super Cup provides an opportunity for two reigning European champions to compete directly against each other.
It also gives clubs the chance to win an official European trophy very early in the season.
For supporters, the game can provide an early look at new signings, tactical changes and how two European trophy-winning teams compare heading into a new campaign.
UEFA Super Cup: Frequently Asked Questions
How many teams play in the UEFA Super Cup?
Two teams compete: the reigning Champions League winner and reigning Europa League winner.
Is the UEFA Super Cup one game?
Yes. The UEFA Super Cup is decided by a single match.
Does the UEFA Super Cup count as a trophy?
Yes. It is an official UEFA club competition and the winner receives the UEFA Super Cup trophy.
Does the Conference League winner qualify?
No. The UEFA Conference League winner does not qualify for the UEFA Super Cup under the current format. The matchup is between the Champions League and Europa League winners.
When is the UEFA Super Cup played?
It is typically held in August, near the beginning of the European club season.
What Is the UEFA Super Cup? Explained
The UEFA Super Cup is a one-match European soccer competition between the reigning UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League winners.
While it does not have the lengthy format or prestige of the Champions League, it remains an official European trophy and provides a high-profile matchup between two of the previous season’s most successful clubs.
For the winner, it is also an opportunity to begin the new season by immediately adding another piece of European silverware.