UEFA Cup

The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams. It was founded on April 18, 1955 as the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. It is the second most important competition for European club teams, the first being the UEFA Champions League.

History

The first Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, held between 1955 and 1958, was a tournament open to cities that had hosted trade fairs, and not necessarily clubs - cities with more than one club sent representative teams (e.g. London). As time progressed, the competition saw more clubs and fewer representative sides enter, so that by the mid-1960s, it was exclusively for clubs, who usually qualified by being a runner-up in their domestic league. However, a rule that only one club per city could enter was applied.

Related Topics:
1955 - 1958 - Trade fair - London - 1960s

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A second tournament took place between 1958 and 1960, all tournaments since have been held on a yearly basis. The competition completely dropped its link with the trade fairs and was renamed the UEFA Cup in 1971. However, the 'one club per city' rule was only rescinded in 1975; Everton had finished fourth in the English league and could thus qualify, but were barred from entry because Liverpool had also qualified by coming second. Everton appealed, saying the rule was an unfair anachronism, and UEFA agreed to overturn it.

Related Topics:
1971 - 1975 - Everton - English league - Liverpool

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The competition was traditionally open to the runners-up of domestic leagues, but in 1999, the competition was merged with the Cup Winners' Cup. Since then the winners of domestic cup competitions have also entered the UEFA Cup.

Related Topics:
1999 - Cup Winners' Cup

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