UEFA has announced a new Champions League format that will take effect in the 2024/25 season. Following the draw, some fans remain unclear about how this new format will function. This article aims to clarify the new Champions League format and address various questions related to it.
What is the new Champions League format?
In the earlier format of the Champions League, 32 teams qualified and were divided into eight groups, each containing four teams. The top two teams from each group advanced to the round of 16, while the third-place team moved to the Europa League and the fourth team was eliminated from the competition.
The new Champions League format will now feature 36 teams, which will not be divided into groups. Instead, all 36 teams will be ranked together in a league-style competition.
How does the new Champions League format work?
In the new Champions league format, teams will play eight matches against eight different teams, with four games played at home and four away. UEFA emphasized that the new champions league format will allow clubs to compete against a broader variety of opponents, increasing the chances for fans to witness top teams face off more frequently and earlier in the tournament. Additionally, it will lead to more competitive games for all clubs involved.
The results of each game will determine the overall standings in the new league form, maintaining the scoring system of three points for a win and one point for a draw. The top eight teams in the league will automatically advance to the round of 16, whereas those finishing between 9th and 24th place will face off in a two-legged playoff round to earn a spot in the last 16. Teams that end up in 25th place or lower will be eliminated from the competition.
In this new champions league format, teams can no longer move down from the Champions League to the Europa League or from the Europa League to the UEFA Conference League. Once you finish in 25th place or lower, you are out of the competition.
UEFA also emphasized that the new champions league format, which features all teams ranked in a single league, will ensure that there is more at stake right up until the final night of the league phase.
Starting from the Round of 16 stage, the competition will continue with its two-legged format through to the semifinals, leading to a single-leg final.
How will the playoff round work?
In the playoff round, teams ranked 9th to 16th will be included in the playoff draw, where they will compete against teams ranked 17th to 24th in a two-legged tie. The eight teams that win in the playoff round will advance to the round of 16, where they will each compete against one of the top eight finishers.
Will the Europa League and Europa Conference League formats change from 2024/25 too?
Yes, similar adjustments will be implemented for the UEFA Europa League (featuring eight matches against eight different opponents in the league phase) and the UEFA Europa Conference League, which will be renamed the UEFA Conference League starting in the 2024/25 season (consisting of six matches against six different opponents in the league phase). Both tournaments will also include 36 teams in the league phase.
What will the schedule be like for the new format of the three tournaments?
The Champions League and Europa League games are set to take place from September to January, whereas the Europa Conference League matches will occur from September to December. Each of the three UEFA club tournaments will feature a unique match week, during which the other two competitions will not have any scheduled matches.
During regular weeks, Champions League games are scheduled for Tuesdays and Wednesdays, whereas Europa League and Europa Conference League games occur on Thursdays. In weeks dedicated solely to the Champions League, matches will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. For weeks focused on the Europa League, matches will take place on Wednesday and Thursday. In weeks reserved for the Europa Conference League, games will be played on Thursday.
On the final matchday of each league phase in the competitions, all matches will take place at the same time.
Champions League League Phase draw
Manchester City: Inter Milan (H), PSG (A), Club Brugge (H), Juventus (A), Feyenoord (H), Sporting Lisbon (A), Sparta Prague (H), Slovan Bratislava (A)
Arsenal: PSG (H), Inter Milan (A), Shakhtar Donetsk (H), Atalanta (A), Dinamo Zagreb (H), Sporting Lisbon (A), Monaco (H), Girona (A)
Liverpool: Real Madrid (H), RB Leipzig (A), Bayer Leverkusen (H), AC Milan (A), Lille (H), PSV (A), Bologna (H), Girona (A)
Aston Villa: Bayern Munich (H), RB Leipzig (A), Juventus (H), Club Brugge (A), Celtic (H), Young Boys (A), Bologna (H), Monaco (A)
Real Madrid: Dortmund (H), Liverpool (A), AC Milan (H), Atalanta (A), Salzburg (H), Lille (A), Stuttgart (H), Brest (A)
Barcelona: Bayern Munich (H), Dortmund (A), Atalanta (H), Benfica (A), Young Boys (H), Red Star Belgrade (A), Brest (H), Monaco (A)
Atlético Madrid: RB Leipzig (H), PSG (A), Bayer Leverkusen (H), Benfica (A), Lille (H), RB Salzburg (A), Slovan Bratislava (H), Sparta Prague (A)
Bayern Munich: PSG (H), Barcelona (A), Benfica (H), Shakhtar Donetsk (A), Dinamo Zagreb (H), Feyenoord (A), Slovan Bratislava (H), Aston Villa (A)
Bayer Leverkusen: Inter Milan (H), Liverpool (A), Atlético Madrid (A), AC Milan (H), RB Salzburg (H), Feyenoord (A), Sparta Prague (H), Brest (A)
Borussia Dortmund: Barcelona (H), Real Madrid (A), Shakhtar Donetsk (H), Club Brugge (A), Celtic (H), Dinamo Zagreb (A), Sturm Graz (H), Bologna (A)
Inter Milan: RB Leipzig (H), Man City (A), Arsenal (H), Leverkusen (A), Red Star Belgrade (H), Young Boys (A), Monaco (H), Sparta Prague (A)
AC Milan: Liverpool (H), Real Madrid (A), Club Brugge (H), Bayer Leverkusen (A), Red Star Belgrade (H), Dinamo Zagreb (A), Girona (H), Slovan Bratislava (A)
Juventus: Man City (H), RB Leipzig (A), Benfica (H), Club Brugge (A), PSV (H), Lille (A), Stuttgart (H), Aston Villa (A)
Paris Saint-Germain: Man City (H), Bayern Munich (A), Atlético Madrid (H), Arsenal (A), PSV (H), RB Salzburg (A), Girona (H), Stuttgart (A)
Celtic: RB Leipzig (H), Borussia Dortmund (A), Club Brugge (H), Atalanta (A), Young Boys (H), Dinamo Zagreb (A), Slovan Bratislava (H), Aston Villa (A)
