History of UEFA Super Cup in Timeline
The UEFA Super Cup, formerly known as the Super Competition and European Super Cup, is an annual football match organized by UEFA. Since 1995, the winners of UEFA's top two club competitions - the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League - have competed for the title.
1971: Conception of the UEFA Super Cup
Anton Witkamp, a journalist from the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, conceived the idea for the UEFA Super Cup in 1971, aiming to determine the best football team in Europe and challenge the dominance of Dutch total football, particularly Ajax led by Johan Cruyff.
1972: UEFA Super Cup Inception
The UEFA Super Cup, originally called the Super Competition, was first contested in 1972, featuring the winners of the European Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup.
1972: First UEFA Super Cup Match and Unofficial Status
The first UEFA Super Cup match took place in 1972 between Ajax and Rangers. However, it is considered unofficial by UEFA because of Rangers' ban from European competitions due to fan behavior. Ajax won the two-legged match with an aggregate score of 6-3.
1973: First UEFA Super Cup Trophy
The inaugural UEFA Super Cup trophy was awarded to Ajax in 1973.
1977: Trophy Replaced with Plaque
In 1977, the original UEFA Super Cup trophy was substituted with a plaque featuring a gold UEFA emblem.
1984: Cancellation of the UEFA Super Cup
The UEFA Super Cup was not held in 1984 and 1986 due to scheduling issues.
1985: Cancellation of the UEFA Super Cup
In 1985, Everton was banned from participating, preventing the match against Juventus and leading to the cancellation of the UEFA Super Cup.
1986: Cancellation of the UEFA Super Cup
The UEFA Super Cup was not held in 1984 and 1986 due to scheduling issues.
1987: Introduction of New Trophy Design
A new trophy, the smallest and lightest among European club trophies at 5 kg and 42.5 cm in height, was introduced for the UEFA Super Cup in 1987. The trophy was crafted at the Bertoni workshop in Milan.
1991: Manchester United's Cup Winners' Cup Triumph
Manchester United's victory in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1991 marked the start of their journey to hold all three major UEFA club titles, which they eventually achieved in 2017.
1991: Single Leg Due to War in Yugoslavia
The 1991 UEFA Super Cup was held as a single leg match because Red Star Belgrade, one of the participating teams, was prohibited from playing in their home country, Yugoslavia, due to the ongoing war. As a result, only the match at Manchester United's home ground took place.
1991: Cancellation of the UEFA Super Cup
The UEFA Super Cup was played as a single match in 1991 due to political problems.
1992: European Cup Becomes UEFA Champions League
The European Cup was renamed the UEFA Champions League in the 1992-1993 season. The Champions League winners continued to face the Cup Winners' Cup winners in the European Super Cup.
1994: Renaming of the European Cup Winners' Cup
In the 1994-1995 season, the European Cup Winners' Cup was renamed to the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
1995: European Super Cup Renamed
Following the renaming of the European Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup, the European Super Cup was renamed to the UEFA Super Cup for the 1995-1996 season.
1997: Transition to Single Match Format
While the two-legged format was generally used, certain years saw the UEFA Super Cup decided in a single match due to scheduling conflicts (1984, 1986) or political reasons (1991). The competition transitioned fully to a single match format in 1997.
1998: Chelsea's Cup Winners' Cup Win
Chelsea won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1998, marking the start of their journey towards holding all three major UEFA titles.
1998: Transition to Neutral Venue
Starting from 1998, the UEFA Super Cup transitioned to a single-match format played at a neutral venue.
1998: Discontinuation of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA discontinued the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup following the 1997-1998 season.
1999: Format Change Due to Cup Winners' Cup Discontinuation
After the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was discontinued in 1999, the UEFA Super Cup format changed. The winners of the UEFA Cup (later renamed UEFA Europa League) replaced the Cup Winners' Cup winners, competing against the UEFA Champions League winners.
1999: Last Super Cup with Cup Winners' Cup Winner
The 1999 UEFA Super Cup was the final one to feature the winners of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, with Lazio (Cup Winners' Cup holder) defeating Manchester United (Champions League holder) 1-0.
1999: UEFA Cup Winners Replace Cup Winners' Cup Winners
With the discontinuation of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, the winners of the UEFA Cup took their place in the UEFA Super Cup starting from the 1999-2000 season.
2000: UEFA Cup Winners Debut
The 2000 UEFA Super Cup marked the first time the UEFA Cup winners participated. Galatasaray, the UEFA Cup winners, defeated Real Madrid, the UEFA Champions League winners, with a score of 2-1.
2006: Larger Trophy Design Implemented
An updated UEFA Super Cup trophy, an enlarged version of the prior design, was unveiled in 2006. It weighed 12.2 kg and stood at 58 cm tall.
2008: UEFA Super Cup Trophy Policy Change
In 2008, UEFA changed the policy regarding the UEFA Super Cup trophy, deciding to keep the original trophy exclusively. Previously, teams winning three consecutive or five total titles received a replica and special recognition.
2009: UEFA Europa League Replaces UEFA Cup
In 2009, the UEFA Cup was renamed the UEFA Europa League, and its winners continued to face the UEFA Champions League winners in the UEFA Super Cup.
2009: UEFA Europa League Introduced
The UEFA Cup was renamed the UEFA Europa League in the 2009-2010 season, and its winners continued to compete in the UEFA Super Cup against the UEFA Champions League winners.
2012: Chelsea's Champions League Victory
Chelsea achieved victory in the UEFA Champions League in 2012, adding to their Cup Winners' Cup title and moving closer to holding all three major UEFA trophies.
2013: Various Stadiums Used for UEFA Super Cup
Beginning in 2013, the UEFA Super Cup adopted a system where different stadiums were utilized, similar to the practice with the Champions League and Europa League finals.
2013: Chelsea's Unique Achievement
In 2013, Chelsea became the first club to qualify for the UEFA Super Cup as holders of all three major UEFA club titles: Cup Winners' Cup (1998), Champions League (2012), and Europa League (2013).
2013: Rotating Venue Policy
Starting in 2013, the UEFA Super Cup adopted a rotating venue policy, similar to the finals of the Champions League and Europa League. The first match under this format took place at the Eden Stadium in Prague, Czech Republic.
2017: Manchester United Matches Chelsea's Feat
Manchester United equaled Chelsea's accomplishment in 2017 by qualifying for the UEFA Super Cup as holders of all three major UEFA titles. They had previously won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1991, the Champions League, and the Europa League.
August 2020: UEFA Super Cup Postponement and Relocation
Initially scheduled for August 12, 2020, at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto, Portugal, the UEFA Super Cup final was postponed and relocated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The match was moved to the Puskás Aréna in Budapest and rescheduled to September 24, 2020. This decision followed the rescheduling of other club finals, including awarding the Champions League final to Portugal.
August 2020: Pilot Match for Limited Spectators
On August 25, 2020, UEFA decided to use the 2020 UEFA Super Cup final as a pilot match for the return of limited spectators. Following consultations with 55 member associations, up to 30% of the stadium's capacity was allowed, marking the first official UEFA match with spectators since the resumption of competitions in August 2020 after the pandemic-induced pause.
September 2020: UEFA Super Cup Rescheduled Date
Originally planned for August 12, 2020, the UEFA Super Cup final was moved to September 24, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related scheduling adjustments.
2020: Fixed Prize Money for UEFA Super Cup Clubs
Starting in 2020, a fixed amount of prize money is paid to the clubs participating in the UEFA Super Cup.
2022: Real Madrid Wins Fifth UEFA Super Cup Title Under New Policy
Real Madrid secured their fifth UEFA Super Cup victory in 2022, following the change in the trophy awarding policy.
2023: Shared Sponsors for UEFA Super Cup and Champions League
As of the 2023-2024 season, the UEFA Super Cup shares the same sponsors as the UEFA Champions League.
2023: Removal of Extra Time in UEFA Super Cup
Prior to the 2023 edition, the UEFA Super Cup format was changed to remove the two 15-minute extra time periods. Now, if the scores are level after 90 minutes, the match proceeds directly to a penalty shootout.
2024: Real Madrid's Victory and Record
In 2024, Real Madrid, the UEFA Champions League winners, defeated the UEFA Europa League winners, Atalanta, with a score of 2-0, securing their sixth UEFA Super Cup title and solidifying their position as the most successful team in the competition's history.
