Chelsea could break a world record in the UEFA Conference League final
Chelsea has the chance to complete an unprecedented sweep of UEFA trophies and close out an encouraging season with silverware on Wednesday, when they take on Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final.
The Blues secured a return to Champions League soccer for next season with a win over the weekend and now have the opportunity to claim their first trophy under manager Enzo Maresca. It may not be the most prestigious title in their already packed cabinet, but a major European honor is nothing to take lightly.
Chelsea enters the final in Poland as the clear favorite and, should they lift the trophy, will set a remarkable new benchmark in UEFA competitions.
Chelsea aiming to make UEFA history in Wrocław
This marks Chelsea’s debut campaign in the UEFA Conference League, and a victory in Wrocław would earn them their ninth European title. More significantly, it would make them the first club in history to win all four of UEFA’s major tournaments.
The West London side has already won the European Cup/Champions League (2011–12, 2020–21), UEFA Cup/Europa League (2012–13, 2018–19), and the now-defunct UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup (1970–71, 1997–98), twice each. Adding the Conference League would complete an unmatched continental collection.
Chelsea has also claimed the UEFA Super Cup twice, though that competition—played between the winners of the Champions League and Europa League—is not considered among UEFA’s primary tournaments.
Conference League final debut for Real Betis
Unlike Chelsea, Real Betis is entering uncharted territory. Wednesday’s final will mark their first appearance in a UEFA competition final, and they’re aiming to win their first continental trophy in club history.
Their best previous showings came in the Cup Winners’ Cup during the 1977–78 and 1997–98 seasons, both ending in the quarterfinals. Ironically, Betis was eliminated by Chelsea in the latter campaign, as the Blues went on to win the title.
Who else could achieve the UEFA quadruple?
If Chelsea pulls it off, they’ll become the first team to win all four major UEFA titles—but they might not be the last. As many as 32 clubs technically still have the chance to complete this feat, though they would need to have already won the now-discontinued Cup Winners’ Cup.
Several British clubs—such as Everton, Aberdeen, West Ham, and Rangers—are still in contention for this historic sweep. Other longshots include Magdeburg (Germany), Dinamo Tbilisi (Georgia), K.V. Mechelen (Belgium), and Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia).
Meanwhile, just four other major clubs—Manchester United, Juventus, Ajax, and Bayern Munich—need only the Conference League title to join this elite group. Still, given their stature, none are likely to target the third-tier European competition anytime soon.