[7] The 2009 re-branding included a merge with the UEFA Intertoto Cup, producing an enlarged competition format, with an expanded group stage and a change in qualifying criteria.

Colombian striker Radamel Falcao holds the record of most goals (17) scored in a single season of the tournament.

It was replaced by the UEFA Cup, a new seasonal confederation competition with different regulations, format and disciplinary committee.

[3][10] The UEFA Cup was first played in the 1971–72 season, and ended with an all-English final between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, with Spurs taking the first honours.

[11] The competition has since gained greater prestige and interest from the mass media than the Fairs Cup.

[16] Feyenoord won the cup in 1974 after defeating Tottenham Hotspur 4–2 on aggregate (2–2 in London, 2–0 in Rotterdam).

[18] During the 1980s, IFK Göteborg (1982 and 1987)[19][20] and Real Madrid (1985 and 1986)[21][22] won the competition twice each, with Anderlecht reaching two consecutive finals, winning in 1983[23] and losing to Tottenham Hotspur in 1984.

[24] 1989 saw the commencement of the Italian clubs' domination, when Diego Maradona's Napoli defeated VfB Stuttgart.

[35] The era of the 2000s began with victory for Galatasaray, the first Turkish team to win the trophy, defeating Arsenal.

[56] Sevilla added a record-extending sixth victory in 2020, after defeating Inter Milan,[57] and won an unprecedented seventh title in 2023.

67 centimetres (26 in) tall, the cup is formed by a base with two onyx discs in which a band with the flags of the UEFA member nations is inserted.

The lower part of the sculpture symbolises the stylised footballers and is surmounted by a hand-embossed slab.

[62] A musical theme for the competition, the Anthem, is played before every Europa League game at a stadium hosting such an event and before every television broadcast of a Europa League game as a musical element of the competition's opening sequence.

[63] The competition's first anthem was composed by Yohann Zveig and recorded by the Paris Opera in early 2009.

The theme for the re-branded UEFA Cup competition was first officially unveiled at the Grimaldi Forum on 28 August 2009 before the 2009–10 season group stage draw.

A new anthem was composed by Michael Kadelbach and recorded in Berlin and was launched as part of the competition's rebranding at the start of the 2015–16 season.

Qualification for the competition is based on UEFA coefficients, with better entrance rounds being offered to the more successful nations.

Before its discontinuation in 2020–21, France offered a place to the winners of the Coupe de la Ligue.

The UEFA Europa League place is then granted to another club or vacated if the maximum limit of teams qualifying for European competitions is exceeded.

From 1995 to 2015, three leagues gained one extra place via the UEFA Respect Fair Play ranking.

From the 2004–05 season, the competition started with two knockout qualifying rounds held in July and August.

With the abolition of the Intertoto Cup, all participants in the Europa League are qualified through domestic routes.

Similar to the UEFA Champions League, the prize money received by the clubs is divided into fixed payments based on participation and results, and variable amounts that depend of the value of their TV market.

[74] For the 2021–22 season, group stage participation in the Europa League awarded a base fee of €3,630,000.

The tournament's main sponsors for the 2024–27 cycle are: Decathlon's Kipsta sub-brand is the official match ball supplier from the 2024–25 season onwards for a three-year period.

[85] Individual clubs may wear jerseys with advertising, even if such sponsors conflict with those of the Europa League.

[86] Exceptions are made for non-profit organisations, which can feature on the front of the shirt, incorporated with the main sponsor, or on the back, either below the squad number or between the player name and the collar.

The second leg ended in a 1–1 draw, meaning that Tottenham Hotspur became the first UEFA Cup winners.

On two occasions, the final was played at a finalist's home ground: Feyenoord defeated Borussia Dortmund at De Kuip, Rotterdam, in 2002, and Sporting CP lost to CSKA Moscow at their own Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, in 2005.

The first final of the rebranded Europa League was played in 2010, when Atlético Madrid of Spain beat Fulham of England 2–1 after extra time.