The UEFA Conference League winner odds for 2024-25 highlight a clear favorite – Chelsea. The best soccer betting sites expect the English side to go all the way, most based on squad depth and quality.
However, the team struggled a lot last year and new manager Enzo Maresca has loads of work to do. Can he make Chelsea a formidable force, or are other teams more likely to win the Conference League this season?
Keep reading to find the latest champion odds, my analysis of the top teams, and my Conference League winner prediction for 2024-25.
2024-25 Conference League Winner Odds
Here are the latest Conference League champion odds, courtesy of Everygame.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Chelsea | +175 |
| Real Betis | +400 |
| Fiorentina | +500 |
| KAA Gent | +1600 |
| FC Copenhagen | +1600 |
| Heidenheim | +1600 |
| Panathianaikos | +1800 |
| Rapid Vienna | +2500 |
| Vitoria Guimares | +2800 |
| Istanbul Basaksehir | +2800 |
| Molde FK | +3300 |
| Cercle Bruges | +3300 |
| FC Lugano | +3300 |
| LASK Linz | +3300 |
The latest Europa Conference League odds imply Chelsea is the primary title contender. And, despite a rough start, I can’t help but agree with them. The likes of Fiorentina and Real Betis are up there too, but they shouldn’t be able to steal the glory from Chelsea.
However, one question remains – will Chelsea use their strongest team in this competition or will they focus solely on the EPL this season? The answer could be the key to our Conference League winner prediction, so let’s waste no more time and get right into the nitty gritty detail!
New UEFA Conference League Format Explained
Before diving into the favorites and comparing available 2024/25 Conference League winner odds, let’s see what has changed with the format.
Heads up – Conference League format changes are identical to those introduced to the Champions and Europa League, with the number of League matches as the only exception (Conference League has 6 instead of 8). Here’s a closer look:
- From now on, there will be no groups in the Conference League
- The competition now begins with a single league featuring all 36 contestants
- Each team will play 6 matches; 3 home and 3 away
- After the end of the League Stage, top 8 teams advance directly to the ro16
- Teams who ended in 9th through 24th place will compete in the Knockout Playoffs
- 8 Knockout Playoffs winners will advance to the round of 16
- We have a standard knockout tournament until a winner is decided for the rest of the Conference League.
Here are the key dates for this season of the Conference League:
- League Stage: 3rd October 2024 through 19th December 2024
- Knockout Playoffs: 13th and 20th February 2025
- Quarterfinals: 10th and 17th April 2025
- Semifinals: 1st and 8th May 2025
- Final: 28th May 2025
Favorites for the 2024-25 Conference League Trophy
It takes almost no time to recognize the main favorite here – Chelsea. The English side is followed closely by Real Betis and Fiorentina, both of which have high hopes for this competition. The current 2024/25 Conference League odds favors this trio, so I decided to take a closer look and see why.
Chelsea (+175)
Let’s start off with the folks from the west side of London – Chelsea. Despite a relatively slow start in the Premier League, Chelsea is still the number one contender according to the current Europa Conference League winner odds, especially after getting Jadon Sancho.
🎙️ Jadon talks about his move to the Blues. 💙 pic.twitter.com/XeQh7K8qnC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 3, 2024
And why wouldn’t they be? After all, the Conference league is the third-tier UEFA competition meant for teams from developing nations… not for EPL giants.
After poor performances last season, Chelsea is bound to play in the Conference League where everyone sees them as the main favorite. However, one might assume a team of Chelsea’s pedigree won’t even try hard for this kind of a competition.
We have to account for the massive number of top-notch players Chelsea has registered. There are countless memes out there portraying the club’s endless list of active players… so you probably know where I’m going with this.
Jokes aside, Chelsea’s depth should make balancing between the EPL and Conference League a piece of cake.
The Blues have to work extra hard for a spot in the Champions League next season, so they will definitely prioritize the EPL for most of the season.
On the other end, they shouldn’t have major issues in the Conference League until the quarterfinals or the semis. Considering their massive list of players, balancing between the two tournaments should be doable.
Real Betis (+400)
Real Betis are the second favorites according to the current 2024-25 Conference League winner odds. And it’s nothing surprising considering the strength of their squad and their manager’s tactical prowess.
Need I remind you, the Spaniards are still coached by none other than Manuel Pellegrini, the experienced Chilean who needs no further introduction. He finally managed to wrap his head around Betis and will be looking for more than a Conference League spot next season.
A direct ticket to the Europa League goes to the Conference League winner, which ought to be one of Pellegrini’s primary goals this season.
The most notable arrival this summer was certainly ex-Spurs’ fan-favorite Giovani Lo Celso. Betis got him on a bargain too – just €5m. All that’s left to be seen is whether or not the experienced midfielder can prove his worth right away.
As things stand right now, it’s not going too well. Betis has just 2 points from three games, but it’s still early in the season.
Fiorentina (+500)
Despite sitting on just 3 points from their three initial Serie A matches, Fiorentina is not to be underestimated. They have plenty of raw firepower thanks to the likes of Gudmundsson, Colpani, and Beltran.
The 20-year-old Michael Kayode is a hot prospect, playing as a consistent pacey right back with a good knack at crossing the ball. According to Transfermarkt, he’s currently worth €25m.
Despite their solid squad, Fiorentina played against Parma, Venezia, and Monza and all three matches finished in draws. The quality is there, but Palladino will have to work on the team’s finishing. In three matches, they scored 3 and conceded 3. Fiorentina wasn’t exactly the superior side on all three occasions.
They played well defensively, just failed to turn their chances into goals. If they can work on improving that, their Conference League run might end up deep in the playoffs.
Best Conference League 2024-25 Sleeper: Heidenheim (+1600)
Heidenheim is a real mystery. They’re a fresh lower-tier team which finished the 23-24 Bundesliga season in 8th place. That was just enough to earn themselves a spot in the Conference League qualifiers where they fought their way to the main tournament.
Now that they’re here, they mean business and are worthy title contenders, right after the likes of Chelsea, Real Betis, and Fiorentina. After all, we’re talking about the current Bundesliga leaders. That’s right, 2 matchdays in and Heidenheim are at the top of the German Bundesliga with 6 points and 6:0 goal difference.
I know they won’t be able to hold onto the spot for far too long. But, with several good transfer deals this summer, they could be able to tackle a mid-table finish in the Bundesliga and aim for the highest accolade in the Conference League. So, long story short, Heidenheim makes for a pretty valuable Conference League winner prediction!
Conference League 2024-25 Prediction and Betting Pick
It’s really hard to ignore Chelsea with my Conference League prediction. The team is so much stronger than anyone else and this might be the best chance for a trophy in the 2024-25.
It might not be as lucrative as the EPL, but we all know Chelsea doesn’t really have much say as far as the top four spots are concerned. The road to the Last 8 should be fairly easy even with lots of rotations, and Maresca can go full strength for the deciding matches.
