Europa League Winners Will Get Champions League Place From 2015

Uefa have confirmed. The move is designed to boost interest in Europe's "lesser" club competition, whose current holders are Chelsea. The new rule will officially come into effect at the end of next season, with the 2015 winners being given an automatic place in the Champions League. The decision at Uefa's congress follows months of discussions held between the governing body and the European Club Association. The Europa League, formally known as the Uefa Cup, generates far less media interest than the Champions League and nets less income. Teams contesting the competition are also met by derogatory terrace chants such as "Thursday Nights, Channel 5", sung to antagonise supporters of rival teams who have dropped into the Europa League which, up until 2012, was shown on Channel 5 in the UK. But Uefa now hope that by bringing in this new incentive, the competition will be treated with more respect. There have been four clubs who have won the Europa League since it was re-branded in 2009. These are Shakhtar Donetsk - who won the competition in its maiden year - Atletico Madrid (twice), Porto and more recently Chelsea, who are also the holders of the Champions League. Want the latest team news ahead of tomorrow night's Champions League Final? Read our Match Preview.