The UEFA Super Cup is an annual competition played between the winners of the Champions League and the winners of the Europa League.
Founded in 1972, the Super Cup was initially contested by the winners of the European Cup (later the Champions League) and the Cup Winners Cup. This format was standard until 1999, when the latter competition was discontinued. From 2000 on, the UEFA Cup (which later became the Europa League) winners provided the opposition.
The format of the Super Cup featured two legs from its inception until 1998, when it was changed to a single match played at a neutral venue. Monaco's iconic Stade Louis II was used as the venue from 1998 to 2012, with UEFA opting to use a variety of stadia since 2013.
Interestingly, the 1972 Super Cup, in which Ajax defeated Rangers, is considered unofficial by UEFA because the Scottish side were banned from UEFA competitions. As a result, the 1973 edition, which saw Ajax beat Inter, is deemed the first official UEFA Super Cup.