Fast youth in the youth league for the first time

For the first time in the club's history, SK Rapid will participate in the UEFA Youth League with an under-19 team. This was made possible thanks to a modified youth league format, which resulted from changes in European club competitions. The UEFA Youth League is divided into two different tracks, which will also be held separately until the end of the year – the Champions League track and the Championship track. In the Champions League mode, all U19 teams of the Champions League participants from professional teams compete against each other. All youth champions of the UEFA member associations compete in the Championship track.

Since our U18s finished the 2023/24 ÖFB Youth League season as runners-up behind Salzburg Academy and RB Salzburg have now also qualified for the Champions League, the ticket to the tournament path goes to the U18s. The champions would have been awarded to our green and white youngsters. The tournament path includes three knockout rounds, with our U19s – a mix of U18s and Rapid II players – only entering the second round. The knockout matches will be played over two legs. If Hütteldorf’s young team survives the second and third rounds, a team from the Champions League path awaits them in the fight for a ticket to the round of 16!