2024/25 UEFA Champions League: New Format Unveiled
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League is set for a major overhaul, with significant changes in its structure following the draw held in Monaco on Thursday.
Expanded Competition, No More Groups: The revamped format expands the tournament to 36 teams, up from the previous 32, allowing for broader representation from Europe’s top leagues. France’s Ligue 1 will now have three automatic qualification spots. Additionally, Germany and Italy, based on their high UEFA coefficients from the previous season, will also gain extra spots. One more place is reserved for a national champion from the qualifying rounds.
The most significant change is the removal of the traditional group stage. Instead, all 36 teams will be placed into a single large league, adopting the ‘Swiss system’ commonly used in chess. This means each team will play eight matches against different opponents, replacing the previous group stage’s six matches.
More Games: In the new format, each team will play eight games in the league phase—two more than in the previous group stage. The teams will be divided into four seeded pots, with each team facing two opponents from each pot, one at home and one away. No team will face another from its own domestic league, and a club can face a maximum of two teams from the same country. This expansion will extend the league phase into January, with the total number of matches increasing from 96 to 144.
Extra Knockout Round: An additional play-off round will also be introduced. After the league phase, the top eight teams will automatically advance to the last 16. Teams finishing 9th to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout tie for the remaining spots in the last 16. These ties will be seeded based on the teams’ positions in the league phase.
The bottom 12 teams will be eliminated with no opportunity to drop down to the UEFA Europa League, a departure from previous editions.
These changes aim to enhance competitiveness and ensure more high-stakes matches early in the tournament.