2024-25 UEFA Champions League: New Format and Draw Explained

New Format:

League Phase: All 36 teams will compete in a single league, playing eight matches against eight different opponents (four home and four away). Teams will be drawn to face two opponents from each of the four seeding pots.

Qualification Spots: The additional four spots in the Champions League will be allocated as follows:

Slot One: Awarded to the third-placed team from the association ranked fifth in the UEFA coefficient list.

Slot Two: Awarded to a domestic champion via the Champions path in the qualifying rounds, expanding the number of qualifying clubs from four to five.

Slots Three and Four: Assigned to the associations with the best collective performance from the previous season, providing automatic spots for the highest-ranked domestic teams not already qualified.

Advancement to Knockout Phase:

Top Eight: Teams finishing in the top eight will advance directly to the round of 16.

9th to 24th Place: Teams ranked in these positions will participate in a two-legged knockout play-off to earn a place in the round of 16.

25th and Below: Teams finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated, with no access to the UEFA Europa League.

Knockout Phase:

Teams finishing 9th to 16th will be seeded in the knockout play-off draw, facing teams ranked 17th to 24th. The winners will progress to the round of 16, where they will face the top eight teams.

The knockout phase pairings will partly be determined by league phase rankings, with the competition continuing in a traditional knockout format leading to the final.

The league phase will ensure competitive matches throughout, with all games before the final played midweek, while the final will be held on a Saturday at a neutral venue selected by UEFA.