UEFA Champions League 2024-2027 New Format Explained

UEFA’s men’s club competitions will bring in a new era beginning with the upcoming season. A new UEFA Champions League format, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Conference League will be implemented starting in 2024–2025, adding to the excitement of European club football. Most notably, a league phase with 36 teams will replace each competition’s existing 32-team group round.

Access for more teams

A total of 108 clubs will participate in a centralized phase of a UEFA club tournament thanks to the admission of four additional clubs, bringing the total to 36 in the new league phase. Qualification is still primarily based on sports merit. Every year, all clubs—apart from the three champions—qualify through their national competitions.

League Phase

A single 36-team league phase will take the place of the existing 32-team group stage. The same ranking will be applied to all results (3 points for wins and 1 point for draws). The 24 clubs who proceed to the knockout stage and their seeding position in the knockout stage are decided by the league phase’s final ranking.

36 Teams League

Under the new format, each competition features a single league phase in which all 36 teams compete. There is a single league phase ranking, and three points are given for a win and one for a tie.

8 Games per League 8 different opponents: Champions League & Europa League

In the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, teams play eight league phase matches against eight different teams. Four matches are played at home and four away.

6 Games per League 6 different opponents: Conference League

In the UEFA Conference League, teams play six league phase matches against six different teams. Three matches are played at home and three away.

The Draw

A draw determines which opponents each team faces in the league phase. Opponents are drawn from pots containing teams of similar strengths to guarantee the opponents are equally balanced for all teams.

UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League draw process:

• Seeding Process: Teams are seeded into four pots, each containing nine teams. The seeding is based on the five-year UEFA club coefficient.
• Automatic Qualification: The UEFA Champions League holders automatically qualify for Pot 1.
• Group Stage: Each team is drawn to play against two opponents from each of the four pots.
• Home and Away Games: Teams will play one home match and one away match against these opponents.

UEFA Conference League draw process:

• Seeding Process: Teams are seeded into six pots of six teams each.
• Draw: Each club will be drawn against one opponent from each of the six pots.
• Pot Pairing: The six pots are paired as follows: pots 1 and 2, pots 3 and 4, pots 5 and 6.
• Home and Away Matches: Each club will play one opponent at home and the other opponent away from each of the paired pots.

Knockout Phase

• At the end of the league phase in each competition, the teams placed 1st to 8th in the ranking qualify directly for the round of 16.
• Teams finishing between 9th and 24th compete in a two-legged play-off to secure a place in the last 16.
• Teams finishing 25th or lower are eliminated from all European competitions.

Knockout Phase Seeding System

• Purpose:
  To strengthen the synergy between the league and knockout phases and to provide more sporting incentives in the league phase. The league phase ranking determines the pairings of the knockout phase.
• Knockout Seeding Table:
  • The system forms a table based on the final ranking of the league phase.
  • The ranking sets the path for each team from the knockout play-offs to the final.
  • The draw pairs teams (1 and 2, 3 and 4, etc.) and places them in opposite parts of the table.
  • Example: If the draw places the team ranked 1 on the left side of the table, the paired team ranked 2 will go on the right side.
• Knockout Play-Offs:
  • Clubs finishing 9th to 16th in the league phase are seeded.
  • These clubs play against the clubs finishing 17th to 24th.
  • Seeded clubs play the second leg at home.
• Round of 16:
  • The league seeds the clubs that finish 1st to 8th.
  • They play against the winners of the knockout phase play-offs.
  • Seeded clubs play the second leg at home.
• Road to the Final:
  • From the knockout phase play-offs, competitions continue with two-legged ties in the round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals.
  • The final is a single-leg match at a neutral venue.

Match Calendar

• League Phase Matches:
  • UEFA Champions League & UEFA Europa League:
    Played between September and January.
  • UEFA Conference League:
    Played between October and December.
  • Each matchweek is exclusive to one competition, with only games from that competition being played.
  • All games kick off on the same day at the same time on the final matchday of the league phase.
• Knockout Phase:
  • Held between February and May or early June.
  • Starts with the knockout phase play-offs.