The old European Cup Winners’ Cup made headlines like almost no other continental competition – but was eventually discontinued by UEFA following the 1998/99 campaign.
And yet 22 years later, Europe’s governing body reintroduced a third-tier competition for its 55 member nations: the Conference League, which was launched in 2021/22.
So what were the standout moments in Cup Winners’ Cup history? Why did UEFA abolish it, only to start another tertiary competition almost a quarter of a century later? And how does it compare to its modern-day equivalent: the Conference League?
Plus, a quiz on the teams of old that participated in the CWC and a deep dive on the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, which has now morphed into the Europa League.
Join us on Patreon for Monday’s bonus podcast, in which we explore the FIFA U15 World Cup taking place in Azerbaijan – the largest international tournament in football history with 189 teams – and round up other stories from Canada, Uruguay and Germany.
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
01:00 – European club competition timeline
04:12 – Highlights of the Cup Winners’ Cup
10:05 – The launch of the Conference League
12:00 – Patreon plug: The FIFA U15 World Cup
12:40 – The debate: CWC versus UECL
20:25 – The quiz: Real or fake CWC teams
