Does Conference League winner qualify for Europa League? Prize money, bonus prize for winners of UEFA competition

We're now at the semifinal stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Aston Villa face Olympiacos in their first European semifinal since 1982 and Club Brugge take on last year's finalists Fiorentina.

Along with a trophy and bragging rights of winning a European tournament, the victors in the final will also receive a financial bonus and qualification to the next tier of UEFA competitions. 

The Sporting News looks at the benefits of winning the Europa Conference League.

MORE: West Ham vs Fiorentina history and head-to-head record

Does Conference League winner qualify for Europa League?

The winner of the Conference League final will automatically qualify for the UEFA Europa League group stage in the following season. 

To make the transition to the next step of European football easier, the winner of the Conference League will be placed in Pot 1 of the group stage draw. This could potentially give the winning side a lower-ranked opponent to start their next campaign.

Taking part in the Europa League will aid the winning club in the transfer windows as it provides another incentive to incoming players and also serves as a financial boost.

MORE: Premier League European places for 2024/25

How much prize money does Conference League winner get?

The prize money in the Europa Conference League is considerably less than the financial rewards in the other two UEFA competitions, but it can still be a useful resource for the clubs who go deep into the tournament.

Whichever team is to win the final, they could earn over £13 million ($16 million). The Conference League champions would also be guaranteed an additional £3.17m ($3.98m) as they automatically qualify for the Europa League group stage.