UEFA has unveiled a new Champions League format set to kick in from the 2024-25 season, emphasizing the selection based on playing “merit” to ensure premier teams face each other more frequently. The unanimous decision by the UEFA Executive Committee, supported by the European Club Association, European Leagues, and national associations, reflects a unified front in European football, according to UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.
Key highlights of the revamped Champions League format include:
Champions League Final Stage:
- The league phase, previously known as the group stage, will now feature 36 clubs instead of 32.
- All 36 clubs will be ranked together, participating in a unified league competition.
- Teams will engage in eight matches during the league phase, playing against eight different opponents, with half the matches at home and the rest away.
- The four additional group stage spots will be allocated based on each club’s final position in the previous season’s domestic league and the association’s position in the association club coefficient ranking.
Champions League Knockout Phase:
- Match outcomes will determine the final league ranking, with the top eight teams directly qualifying for the round of 16.
- Teams placed 9th to 24th will participate in a two-legged knockout phase play-off.
- Teams finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated without the chance to move to the UEFA Europa League.
- The knockout phase will feature seeded pairings, partly determined by the league phase rankings, leading to the final played at a neutral venue on a Saturday.
Europa League and Europa Conference League:
- Similar adjustments will be made to the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League (UEFA Conference League from 2024/25), both featuring 36 teams in the league phase.
- Europa League will have eight matches against eight different opponents, while the Conference League will have six matches against six different opponents.
Calendar:
- Matches for the three competitions (Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League) will occur from September to January.
- Each competition will have a unique matchweek, with no overlapping matches during that time.
- Champions League games will be scheduled for Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while Europa League and Europa Conference League matches will be on Thursdays.
- Exclusive weeks for each competition will allow matches on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, ensuring no overlapping.
- Final matchdays of each league phase will feature simultaneous games.
The new structure aims to intensify competition and increase the significance of every match until the last night of the league phase.
