Champions League 2024/25: The New Format Explained

The New Champions League Format: What You Need to Know for the 2024/25 Season

The UEFA Champions League is set to undergo a significant transformation for the 2024/25 season. This radical revamp will increase the number of matches from 125 to 189, elevating the excitement and competition in Europe’s premier club tournament. In this article, we will guide you through the new format and everything else you need to know about the upcoming season.

Key Changes to the Format

One of the most important changes is the transition from the traditional group stage to a single league phase. Here's a breakdown of the notable alterations:

Increased Teams: The number of teams participating will rise from 32 to 36.
More Matches: Each team will play a minimum of eight matches against eight different opponents (four home and four away).
Knockout Phase Qualification: The top eight teams will qualify directly for the knockout stages.
Play-Off Rounds: Teams finishing 9th to 24th will compete in two-legged play-offs for a spot in the last 16.
Elimination: Teams ranked 25-36 will be eliminated from the competition.

Fixtures and Schedule for the 2024/25 Season

Unlike previous years, where teams faced three opponents twice, the new fixtures will involve matchups against eight different teams. The league-stage matches are scheduled as follows:

Matchday 1: September 17-19, 2024
Matchday 2: October 1-2, 2024
Matchday 3: October 22-23, 2024
Matchday 4: November 5-6, 2024
Matchday 5: November 26-27, 2024
Matchday 6: December 10-11, 2024
Matchday 7: January 21-22, 2025
Matchday 8: January 29, 2025

Knockout Stages and Final

The knockout rounds will follow soon after the league matches:

Knockout Round Play-Offs: February 11/12 and February 18/19, 2025
Round of 16: March 4/5 and March 11/12, 2025
Quarter Finals: April 8/9 and April 15/16, 2025
Semi-Finals: April 29/30 and May 6/7, 2025
Final: May 21, 2025

Host of the 2025 Final

The prestigious final will take place at the Allianz Arena in Munich on May 31, 2025, promising to be a thrilling climax to the season.

Qualified Teams for the League Phase

Several clubs have already secured their place in the league phase, including:

England: Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa
Spain: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, Atlético Madrid
Germany: Bayer Leverkusen, Stuttgart, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund
Italy: Inter Milan, AC Milan, Bologna, Juventus
France: Paris Saint-Germain, AS Monaco, Brest
Netherlands: PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord
Portugal: Sporting CP
Belgium: Club Brugge
Scotland: Celtic
Austria: Sturm Graz

Impact on Other European Competitions

Similar changes will be seen in the UEFA Europa League and the newly renamed UEFA Conference League, with each featuring 36 teams and a league phase format. The Europa League teams will also compete in eight matches against different opponents, while the Conference League will have six matches.

Conclusion

As we prepare for the exciting changes in the Champions League format starting from the 2024/25 season, clubs and fans alike are eager to see how these alterations will affect the level of competition.

Stay tuned for more updates as the season approaches and remember to check the schedule and qualify matches to follow your favorite teams!

For more information about upcoming Champions League matches, visit the official UEFA website.