<P> The UEFA Europa League is an annual football club competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs . Clubs qualify for the competition based on their performance in their national leagues and cup competitions . </P> <P> Previously called the UEFA Cup, the competition has been known as the UEFA Europa League since the 2009--10 season, following a change in format . For UEFA footballing records purposes, the UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League are considered the same competition, with the change of name being simply a rebranding . </P> <P> In 1999, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was abolished and merged with the UEFA Cup . For the 2004--05 competition a group stage was added prior to the knockout phase . The 2009 re-branding included a merge with the UEFA Intertoto Cup, producing an enlarged competition format, with an expanded group stage and changed qualifying criteria . The winner of the UEFA Europa League qualifies for the UEFA Super Cup, and since the 2014--15 season the winner of the UEFA Europa League also qualifies for the next edition of the UEFA Champions League . The winner enters at the group stage . </P> <P> The title has been won by 28 different clubs, 12 of which have won the title more than once . The most successful club in the competition are Sevilla with five titles and the current champions are Manchester United after defeating Ajax in the final to win the 2016--17 UEFA Europa League . </P>

Do champions league losers go to europa league