The Champions League is the most prestigious competition in European club football. Its format has undergone a revamp for the 2024/25 season, increasing the number of matches from 125 to 189.
Among other things, the new league phase will go on till the end of January instead of concluding in December. This means there will now be weeks exclusively dedicated to the UEFA Champions League when no other European competitions are played.
In this article, we explain in-depth the new Champions League format and what it means for the fans.
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What is the New Formula for the Champions League?
The UEFA Executive Committee has announced some key changes in the league’s group stage system. According to the officials, qualification will now be “based on sporting merit,” and fans will witness more top-level matches with higher stakes earlier in the competition.
The new Champions League format primarily involves changes in the group stages. The 32 teams in eight groups format have been replaced by an expanded 36-team stage where all of them participate in a single league. Each team will now play eight matches against eight different clubs.
How will the New Champions League Format Work?
The new Champions League format will work in the following manner:
A Single League
All the teams would now compete in an expanded 36-team league. Earlier, there were eight groups with four teams each which has now been scrapped. Teams will play eight matches instead of facing three opponents twice in the new league.
They would compete against eight different teams, with half the games at home and half away. The top eight teams would advance to the Round of 16; those in ninth to twenty-fourth positions would compete in a two-legged knockout play-off for a chance to advance to the next stage.
Teams finishing in the twenty-fifth or lower positions would be eliminated. The Champions League will revert to its traditional format from Round 16 onwards, with the final being held at a neutral location.
The Draw
For the draw, the new Champions League format divides the teams into four pots based on their club coefficient. Each team gets to play against two teams from each pot where one match is held at home and the other away. Teams would also be restricted from facing rivals from their own country. This will be limited to playing against only two clubs from a single country.
Increased Number of Matches
The total number of matches would rise from 125 to 189 in the new Champions League format. Each team will play between eight and seventeen matches, and the league phase will extend until the end of January instead of ending before Christmas.
How Does the New Champions League Format Benefit Fans?
The new Champions League format is good news for fans who get to watch more adrenaline-inducing matches. The revamped league involves more European teams in each competition; it allows fans to see more top matches earlier in the competition.
Further, this revamped format brings a better competitive balance between the teams. It increases the possibility for each team to play opponents of a similar competitive level.
The new Champions League format also brings more drama into the game for fans. Due to the changed format, any result right up to the last matchday can drastically change a team’s position.
Winning or losing the last game of the league phase can easily make the difference between a side qualifying directly for the last 16, entering the playoffs, or being eliminated from the league.
Is the Europa League Format Also Changing?
Yes, the Europa League format is also changing on similar lines as the Champions League. The UEFA Europa League will feature eight matches and eight different opponents in the league phase from 2024/25.
A similar change is also applicable on the UEFA Europa Conference League which will be called the UEFA Conference League from 2024/25. It will have six matches and six different opponents in the league phase. Both competitions would, therefore, have 36 total teams in the league phase.
