The Champions League is changing its format starting this season, 2024-2025. It goes from 32 to 36 teams and from the usual group stage to a “play-off” in which not everyone plays against everyone, but each team will face 10 matches against five different rivals selected by draw (scheduled for Thursday, August 29), with the UEFA coefficient dictating the positions of each of the participants in the four pots. It will be a very different tournament than usual. The details can be followed at canchallena.com.
The new method for the most important club competition on the Old Continent is actually based on the “Swiss system” of chess. In January, once each team has played its 10 matches (in addition to the usual Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Thursdays are added as a competition day), The top eight teams in the standings, which will include the 36 participants, will go directly to the round of 16, while those who finish from 9th to 24th will play a two-legged Play-Off. for the remaining eight places in the round of 16, in a sort of round of 32 (as happens, for example, in the Copa Sudamericana). The rest will be eliminated.
This new format guarantees two places to the teams best classified by the UEFA coefficient among those that have reached through its league to the Europa or Conference League. In addition, it is added One place will go to the seventh ranked confederation and a Champions League winner who does not make it to the qualifying stage. The other place will go to the third ranked team in the fifth ranked league in the UEFA rankings. The remaining awards will be given to the two federations with the best results in European competitions in the previous year.
Real Madrid regained the Champions League title this year, which it had lost the previous season – Credits: @JUSTIN TALLIS
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36 teams.
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A play-off replaces the group stage.
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The playoffs will be played from September to January.
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Thursdays are added as a competition day (as is the case with the Libertadores).
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The top 8 advance to the round of 16.
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From 9th to 24th place they play each other, in a kind of round of 32.
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The last eight are eliminated.
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Real Madrid (Spain) – 15 titles
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Milan (Italy) – Seven
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Liverpool (England) and Bayern Munich (Germany) – Six each
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Barcelona (Spain) – Five
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Ajax (Netherlands) – Four
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Manchester United (England) and Inter Milan (Italy) – Three each
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Chelsea (England), Benfica (Portugal), Juventus (Italy), Porto (Portugal) and Nottingham Forest (England) – Two each
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Celtic (Scotland), Hamburg (Germany), Steaua Bucharest (Romania), Olympique Marseille (France), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Feyenoord (Netherlands), Aston Villa (England), PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands), Red Star (Serbia) and Manchester City (England) – One each
