Liverpool’s place in the UEFA Europa League often sparks confusion. In short: yes, Liverpool has competed in the Europa League many times, and has won it in its past. But as of the 2025/26 season, Liverpool are not playing in the UEFA Europa League—they’re in the UEFA Champions League. CandyGoal will guide you through Liverpool’s history in the Europa League, what qualifies a club to play in it, and why Liverpool are currently elsewhere.
What is the UEFA Europa League
The Europa League is Europe’s second-tier club competition under UEFA, sitting just below the Champions League. It used to be called the UEFA Cup until the format was rebranded. Clubs qualify mostly via their domestic league standings (if not in the Champions League), or through winning certain domestic cups. It offers high-intensity matchups, a lot of silverware prestige, and often features clubs with strong European pedigrees.
Liverpool’s past in the Europa League / UEFA Cup
Liverpool has a rich history in the competition:
- They have won the UEFA Cup / Europa League three times: in 1973, 1976, and 2001. These are full victories, marking Liverpool as one of the most successful English clubs in this competition.
- They have appeared in finals multiple times, including the 2016 Europa League final, where they lost to Sevilla.
- Liverpool has qualified dozens of times for this competition historically—sometimes directly. edia)
So, Liverpool does have the Europa League in their trophy cabinet and their competitive history.
Is Liverpool in the Europa League right now (2025/26)?
This is where things are more current: Liverpool are not in the Europa League for the 2025/26 season. They are competing in the Champions League, which is UEFA’s top-tier club competition.
Some relevant points:
- The Champions League format has changed, expanding group phases, etc., and Liverpool qualified.
- The Europa League for 2025/26 includes 36 teams but Liverpool are not among them.
Why Liverpool sometimes play in Europa League
Liverpool ends up in the Europa League rather than the Champions League under certain conditions:
- If they finish outside the Champions League qualifying spots in the Premier League (e.g., 5th or 6th place, depending on the number of spots England gets).
- If they get eliminated in the group stage of the Champions League and fall into the Europa League or Europa Conference League, depending on the rules that season.
- If they win certain domestic cups but the allocation for European spots is already filled, leading to shifts in qualification places.
Historically, Liverpool have dropped into the Europa League.
Records & statistics in Europa League / UEFA Cup
- Number of Europa League / UEFA Cup wins: 3 (1973, 1976, 2001).
- Final appearances: at least four before 2000s, including the loss in 2016.
- Most recent Europa League participation: in seasons when they did not qualify for Champions League, or dropped out of it. For example, the 2023-24 season saw Liverpool play in the Europa League, reaching the quarter-finals.
Comparison: Champions League vs Europa League
| Feature | Champions League | Europa League |
| Prestige | Higher, top clubs compete here | Second-tier European competition |
| Quality / Opponents | Strongest clubs in Europe | Mix: some very strong clubs + mid-level |
| Revenue | Much more TV, sponsorship, prize money | Less than Champions but still significant |
| Exposure and global appeal | Very high | Still wide but somewhat less than CL |
Liverpool’s regular performance tends to keep them in Champions League, which is why they are absent.
Conclusion
Does Liverpool have UEFA Europa League? Yes — historically both in terms of competition participation and trophies. However, Liverpool are not in the Europa League for the 2025/26 season; they are competing in the Champions League instead.
If you’re curious about Liverpool’s exact qualification route, their fixture list, or detailed Europa League records, or looking ahead to the possibility of them returning to the Europa League in future seasons—CandyGoal has you covered. Want me to pull up the last 5 seasons of Liverpool vs Europa League performance or show when they dropped from Champions League into Europa?
