How Does the Champions League Work? A Guide to the New Format

• UEFA revamped the Champions League format starting from the 2024/25 season, expanding the competition to 36 teams.
• The traditional group stage is replaced with a single league table and a new league-phase format.
• Qualification rules have changed, impacting who enters early rounds and who qualifies directly to the league stage.

Why the Champions League Format Changed

UEFA announced a significant change to the Champions League format starting from the 2024/25 season. The goal of the update is to increase competitiveness, revenue, and engagement, while also giving clubs more matches and opportunities in the early stages of the tournament.

From Groups to League: What’s Different?

The most notable change is the replacement of the traditional group stage with a single league phase. Instead of 32 teams split into 8 groups of 4, the competition now features 36 teams in one large table. Each team will play 8 matches against 8 different opponents (4 home, 4 away).

These matches will be determined based on seeding pots and a draw process, ensuring each team plays a diverse set of opponents. The top 8 teams in the league table will automatically qualify for the Round of 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th will compete in a two-legged play-off round to determine the remaining 8 spots.

How Teams Qualify to the Champions League

Qualification to the new format Champions League remains largely based on domestic league performance, but a few adjustments have been made:

• Direct qualification (league stage): 24 teams enter directly based on their league’s UEFA coefficient ranking.
• Qualifying rounds: 12 spots are decided through traditional qualifying routes involving domestic league winners and runners-up from lower-ranked associations.
• New slots: One additional slot goes to the club ranked third in the association ranked fifth in UEFA’s coefficients. Two more are awarded to the two countries with the best collective performance in the previous season’s European competitions.

Comparison: Previous Format vs. New Format

Impact on Smaller Clubs and Leagues

While top European leagues continue to dominate direct entry, the inclusion of more teams and the additional slots based on performance opens the door for surprise entries and better representation. Smaller clubs have more opportunity to reach the main competition through qualifying rounds and national association performances.

Knockout Rounds System

After the league phase ends, the top 8 teams go straight into the Round of 16. Teams placed 9th to 24th enter a two-legged play-off (9 vs. 24, 10 vs. 23, etc.) to fill the remaining 8 spots. The Round of 16 onward follows the traditional two-legged knockout format, leading to the final.

When Did the New Format Applied?

The new Champions League format came into effect in the 2024/25 season and is being used in the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League, creating a unified structure across UEFA’s three major club competitions.

Summary

The Champions League’s new format answers long-standing calls for change, offering more matches, greater financial incentives, and a more dynamic structure. With a 36-team league phase replacing groups, new qualifying paths, and added emphasis on national performance, the tournament is set for a major evolution starting in 2024/25.