What are the new changes? in Champions League 2024/25 Format. Europe’s most prestigious competition will experience a significant format change for the first time in 32 years, with the addition of four extra slots, bringing the total number of competing teams to 36.
The biggest change in the Champions League 2024/25 format is in the group stages. Previously, teams played against each other home and away in a round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the round of 16.
In the new Champions League 2024/25 Format, each team will face eight different opponents, four at home and four away. The top eight teams overall will advance directly to the round of 16.
The next eight spots will be determined through a knockout round involving the teams that finish between 9th and 24th in the group stages. The subsequent matches will follow a straight knockout format.
Champions league 2024/25 start date
The UEFA Champions league 2024/25, featuring the new format, will start on July 9, 2024, including the qualifying rounds, and will conclude on May 31, 2025. The group stage matches are set to begin from September 17 to 19.
Champions League 2024/25 Schedule
The new Champions League 2024/25 Format is divided into three phases the qualifying rounds, the group stage, and the knockout rounds. The schedule for each phase is outlined below.
Qualifiers round:
| Stage | Dates |
| First qualifying round | 9th – 17th July 2024 |
| Second qualifying round | 23rd – 31st July 2024 |
| Third qualifying round | 6th – 13th August 2024 |
| Play-offs | 20th – 28th August 2024 |
Group Stages:
| Matchday | Date |
| 1 | 17th – 19th September, 2024 |
| 2 | 1st – 2nd October, 2024 |
| 3 | 22nd – 23rd October, 2024 |
| 4 | 5th – 6th November, 2024 |
| 5 | 26th – 27th November, 2024 |
| 6 | 10th – 11th December, 2024 |
| 7 | 21st – 22nd January, 2025 |
| 8 | 29th January, 2025 |
Knock out Stage:
| Round | Dates |
| Knockout Round | 11th – 19th February, 2025 |
| Round of 16 | 4th – 12th March, 2025 |
| Quarter Finals | 8th – 16th April, 2025 |
| Semi Finals | 29th April – 7th May, 2025 |
| Finals | 31st May, 2025 |
What is the format for the league stage draws?
The new Champions League 2024/25 Format: League phase, each of the 36 teams will be drawn manually. The software will then randomly select eight opponents from the four pots and also decide which matches will be played at home and which will be played away.
The draw will start with Pot 1 and then move to Pot 2, Pot 3 and Pot 4. In the league stage, teams from the same country cannot play each other but can face a maximum of two teams from other countries.
The same rules apply to the conference league, but it includes six pots and six different opponents.
Champions League 2024/25 Teams
Out of the thirty-six teams set to compete In the new Champions League 2024/25 Format twenty-five have secured their spots through their domestic league standings.
Additionally, the winners of the Champions League and the UEFA Europa League are automatically granted entry.
However, in this instance, rebalancing was necessary because both title holders had already qualified through their domestic leagues.
Two more spots were allocated based on European performance, leaving the final seven spots to be decided through the qualification rounds.
The teams that qualified for the UCL is outlined below.
- England: Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa
- Spain: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, Atlético de Madrid
- Germany: Leverkusen, Stuttgart, Bayern, Leipzig
- Italy: Inter, Milan, Juventus, Atalanta
- France: Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco, Brest
- Netherlands: PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord
- Portugal: Sporting CP
- Belgium: Club Brugge
- Scotland: Celtic
- Austria: Sturm Graz
- European Performance Spots: Bologna (Italy), Dortmund (Germany)
- Champions League winner rebalancing: Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)
- Europa League winner rebalancing: Benfica (Portugal)
What date is the Champions League final in 2025?
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League finals will take place on 31 st of May, 2025 at Allianz Arena in Munich.
Who won the UCL final in 2024?
The team with the most UEFA Champions League titles in history is the current defending champion, Real Madrid. They have won a total of 15 titles, nearly double that of the second-place team, AC Milan.
Real Madrid secured four of these titles with their star player Cristiano Ronaldo, winning three consecutive titles from 2015 to 2018.
