×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

UEFA thinks of name change

NYON - European soccer's governing body Uefa is considering changing the name of its second tier Uefa Cup competition to the Uefa Europa League.

NYON - European soccer's governing body Uefa is considering changing the name of its second tier Uefa Cup competition to the Uefa Europa League.

The planned rebranding was revealed by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the acting chairman of the new European Clubs Association, whose organisation was presented with the proposal last Monday.

"The hope is that a refreshment of the name and brand can help achieve better results than we've seen in the Uefa Cup in the past," Rummenigge later told a media conference at Uefa's Swiss headquarters.

"There has been a general impression that it has become a second-class competition and that we should get back to how it was 10 or 15 years ago."

A senior Uefa source confirmed to Reuters at the weekend that Uefa's executive committee would vote on the name change when it meets in September.

He said the new name was meant to better reflect the new group stage system being used in the competition from the 2009-2010 season, in a direct copy of Uefa's much more successful Champions League competition.

Uefa announced in December that it was revamping the Uefa Cup's format, dropping the unpopular five-team groups in which teams play each opponent just once either home or away in favour of a simpler home and away system. - Reuters

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.