The UEFA Champions League is undergoing its biggest transformation in over thirty years, as a number of major changes will take effect for the 2024/25 season. These changes, aimed at modernizing and intensifying Europe’s top club competition, will result in 189 matches being played, a significant increase from the previous 125. Here’s all the information you need to know about the new format.
Expansion and Schedule Overhaul
One of the main changes is the expansion of the tournament from 32 to 36 teams. This will accompany a switch from the traditional group stage format to a single league phase, where all participating teams will compete in a unified table.
Each club is now guaranteed a minimum of eight matches against eight different opponents, a noticeable increase from the previous six matches against three teams. The revamped schedule also means that the league phase will extend until late January, as opposed to the previous mid-December conclusion. To accommodate the expanded format, UEFA has designated exclusive weeks solely for Champions League fixtures, ensuring that no other European competitions will overlap with these dates. Matches will now take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, adding a new rhythm to the football calendar.
New Format Details
The shift to a league-based format significantly alters how teams progress through the tournament. The top eight teams in the league will automatically qualify for the knockout stages. Teams finishing between ninth and 24th place will enter a two-legged play-off, competing for the remaining spots in the Round of 16. Those finishing 25th to 36th will be eliminated from all European competitions for the season.
This new format raises the level of competition, with more matches against a diverse range of opponents. The days of playing the same two teams home and away are gone, replaced by a more varied and unpredictable group of fixtures.
Draw Process and Fixture Release
The draw for the league phase will take place on August 29, 2024, using a combination of manual and automated processes. Initially, all 36 teams will be manually drawn, followed by an automated draw to assign each team their eight opponents. The fixtures will then be scheduled as either home or away. The final fixture list will be published on August 31, 2024, providing fans with the complete schedule for their team’s matches during the league phase.
It is important to note that clubs will not face opponents from their own country and can only play a maximum of two teams from the same nation during this stage.
Participants and Seedings
For the first time since 1992, the Champions League will undergo such a comprehensive overhaul. Italy and Germany will benefit the most from the expansion, each gaining an extra spot in the competition based on their teams’ performances in European competitions. This means that at least ten teams from these two countries will be part of the 36 clubs competing in the league phase.
Teams will be seeded into four pots based on their UEFA coefficients, ensuring a balanced and competitive draw. Renowned clubs such as Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich are expected to feature in Pot 1, while Pot 2 will include strong contenders like Arsenal and Juventus. The pots will gradually include teams with lower coefficients, creating a mix of established giants and rising challengers.
Timeline of Key Dates
The league phase will kick off on September 17-19, 2024, with subsequent matchdays spread out until January 29, 2025. The knockout play-offs will take place in February, followed by the Round of 16 in March. The competition will culminate with the final at the Allianz Arena in Munich on May 31, 2025.
Changes Beyond the Champions League
The UEFA Europa League and Europa Conference League will also see format changes, aligning them more closely with the new Champions League structure. Both competitions will feature 36 teams in the league phase, with the Europa League teams playing eight matches and the Conference League teams playing six.
These adjustments mark a significant evolution in UEFA’s club competitions, promising more excitement, more matches, and a more competitive environment across the board. The 2024/25 season will be a defining one in European football, revolutionizing the way we experience the Champions League and its sister tournaments.
