The UEFA Europa League's top teams
Monday, October 19, 2020
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Which side have been the most regular Thursday-night performers in European football?
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The UEFA Europa League came into existence in 2009/10, replacing the UEFA Cup, which had been in existence since 1971/72, and effectively incorporated the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup after that tournament was discontinued in 1998/99.
It is a competition that continues to pride itself on diversity, with clubs of many nationalities regularly involved in the 48-team group stage. It is open to a huge number of teams, but has still had a relatively stable regular cast of sides, as UEFA.com discovers.
Teams who have featured in 140+ UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup games
| Pos. | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Titles |
| 1 | Inter (ITA) | 191 | 96 | 44 | 51 | 297 | 173 | 3 |
| 2 | Sporting CP (POR) | 187 | 90 | 40 | 57 | 296 | 209 | 0 |
| 3 | Club Brugge (BEL) | 180 | 79 | 41 | 60 | 297 | 235 | 0 |
| 4 | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | 157 | 78 | 36 | 43 | 263 | 160 | 1 |
| 5 | Anderlecht (BEL) | 154 | 73 | 38 | 43 | 255 | 170 | 1 |
| 6 | Partizan (SRB) | 149 | 60 | 33 | 56 | 214 | 203 | 0 |
| 7= | FCSB (ROU) | 145 | 59 | 39 | 47 | 200 | 171 | 0 |
| 7= | Sevilla (ESP) | 145 | 86 | 30 | 29 | 265 | 121 | 6 |
| 9= | Ajax (NED) | 143 | 73 | 26 | 44 | 246 | 144 | 1 |
| 9= | Tottenham (ENG) | 143 | 81 | 36 | 26 | 290 | 125 | 2 |
| 11= | Bordeaux (FRA) | 142 | 71 | 28 | 43 | 203 | 152 | 0 |
| 11= | PAOK (GRE) | 142 | 55 | 41 | 46 | 196 | 164 | 0 |
| 11= | Rapid Wien (AUT) | 142 | 55 | 26 | 61 | 198 | 199 | 0 |
| 14 | Crvena zvezda (SRB) | 141 | 59 | 36 | 46 | 218 | 180 | 0 |
• UEFA Cup winners three times in the 1990s, Inter have seen more action in the competition than any other team, and have registered more UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League wins and draws than any other side.
• Inter's goals scored record is shared by Club Brugge, who also hold marks for most conceded and UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League defeats.
• Sporting CP have played in 34 editions of the competition to date – two more than any other side, with Club Brugge having appeared in 31.
• No winners have played fewer games in the competition than Chelsea: they have participated in just 32 matches and yet have lifted the trophy twice.
Teams who have featured in 75+ UEFA Europa League games
| Pos. | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Titles |
| 1 | Salzburg (AUT) | 84 | 48 | 14 | 22 | 150 | 92 | 0 |
| 2 | FCSB (ROU) | 83 | 36 | 21 | 26 | 119 | 99 | 0 |
| 3 | Sevilla (ESP) | 81 | 52 | 15 | 14 | 166 | 70 | 4 |
| 4= | AZ Alkmaar (NED) | 80 | 32 | 23 | 25 | 114 | 102 | 0 |
| 4= | PAOK (GRE) | 80 | 33 | 24 | 23 | 106 | 78 | 0 |
| 4= | Rosenborg (NOR) | 80 | 30 | 16 | 34 | 108 | 106 | 0 |
| 4= | Sporting CP (POR) | 80 | 38 | 17 | 25 | 125 | 95 | 0 |
| 4= | Villarreal (ESP) | 80 | 44 | 17 | 19 | 147 | 95 | 0 |
| 9= | Athletic Club (ESP) | 78 | 37 | 17 | 24 | 132 | 109 | 0 |
| 9= | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | 78 | 43 | 17 | 18 | 131 | 72 | 0 |
| 11= | Lazio (ITA) | 76 | 35 | 18 | 23 | 124 | 91 | 0 |
| 11= | Rapid Wien (ITA) | 76 | 30 | 15 | 31 | 111 | 117 | 0 |
• Four teams have figured in all 12 editions since the competition took on its new identity in 2009/10: Hajduk Split, PAOK, Rosenborg and Sparta Praha.
• Salzburg have played more UEFA Europa League games than any other side.
• Four-time champions Sevilla are the only UEFA Europa League winners to have played in more than 75 matches in the competition and are the all-time top scorers. Fellow three-time winners Atlético Madrid have played 51 games while two-time winners Chelsea have played just 24.
• Rapid Wien have conceded the most UEFA Europa League goals (117).
Last updated: 19 October 2020 - for latest version see the UEFA Europa League statistics handbook