The 36-team single-group UEFA Champions League format will replace the league’s current one in the 2024–2025 season, marking a dramatic structural shift. More teams can play in the group stages thanks to the updated format, which also makes for more exciting matchups.
The 70th edition of Europe’s top club competition will take place this coming season, and it will be the 33rd since the competition changed its name to the UEFA Champions League. The competition began on July 9, 2024, and will end on May 31, 2025, with the final held in Munich, Germany.
Looking back on the previous campaign, Real Madrid won the Champions League for the fifteenth time, which is an incredible accomplishment and their sixth in the previous eleven years. They also broke the record for the most flawless group-stage campaigns, winning all three of their group games.
Along with Bob Paisley of Liverpool and Zinedine Zidane of Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti has now tied the record for the most titles won with a single team with five Champions League victories (three with Real Madrid; 2003 and 2007 with AC Milan; 2014, 2022, and 2024 with Madrid).
Borussia Dortmund’s unexpected run to the championship game also garnered media attention. They overcame Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals and Atletico Madrid in the quarterfinals, but Madrid narrowly prevailed in the championship game.
The Premier League teams had a mixed performance; Arsenal and Manchester City both lost to Munich and Madrid in the quarterfinals, while Manchester United and Newcastle United were eliminated in the group stages.
Eight groups of four teams made up the previous Champions League structure will be replaced with a single league format consisting of 36 teams under the new “Swiss Model” format. Each team will play eight games—four at home and four away—against teams from various pots in accordance with this model. Teams will be drawn into four pots according to their coefficients; the top pot will contain the defending champions and other elite clubs.
Following the league phase, the top eight teams will move on automatically to the Round of 16, with the remaining spots being decided by a two-leg knockout play-off between teams ranked 9th through 24th. Teams that place 25th or lower will not be allowed to compete in European events that season.
With 189 matches in the next season under the new format, it will be the biggest European competition ever. There were 125 matches in the current season.
The regular point system will be used for the knockout stage: three points for a victory and one point for a tie. Teams ranked 9–24 will play in a knockout play-off, while the top eight teams advance to the Round of 16. All matches, with the exception of the final, are slated for midweek to accommodate domestic leagues. The competition’s final stages will adhere to the conventional knockout format, with the final taking place at a neutral location selected by UEFA.
The qualifying rounds are now underway for the participating teams, and teams like Girona from La Liga and Brest from Ligue 1 will be competing in their first European tournament. Germany and Italy have secured extra spots as a result of their outstanding results in the UEFA competitions of the previous season.
RB Leipzig, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, and Barcelona are among the elite teams in Pot 1. Teams like Monaco, Aston Villa, Bologna, Girona, VfB Stuttgart, Sturm Graz, and Brest are represented in Pot 4. Tickets for the group phase will go on sale after the fixtures are confirmed. The group stage draw is scheduled for August 29.
Looking ahead, Manchester City remains a strong contender, having set high standards in recent years, although they have won the Champions League only once during this period. Important players like Erling Haaland and Phil Foden are anticipated to play significant roles, and Kevin De Bruyne’s potential comeback could help City’s chances.
Kylian Mbappe was added to Real Madrid’s squad for the upcoming season, which could improve their attacking capabilities. Real Madrid has an impressive record, having won two Champions League titles in the last three seasons.
Under Simone Inzaghi, Inter Milan has performed admirably despite having a smaller budget. The key to their hopes of winning in Europe is Lautaro Martinez, whose contributions will be crucial to their success.
Attention should also be paid to teams like Bayer Leverkusen and Arsenal. After a competitive season, Arsenal will need to perform better in the knockout stages in order to advance further. After a domestic double and a near treble, Bayer Leverkusen is ready to make a big impression in Europe this season after an incredible 2023–24 campaign under Xabi Alonso.
The new format of the Champions League and the intense competition among Europe’s top clubs should make the 2024–25 season an exciting one overall.
