UEFA announces new format for 2024/2025 Champions League

Oluwasegun SanusiMarch 4, 20241 Mins read514

The UEFA Executive Committee has unveiled reforms to the Champions League, signalling a departure from the traditional group stage format starting from the 2024/25 season.

The pivotal change revolves around expanding participation and enhancing competitiveness among Europe’s elite clubs.

Under the current format, 32 teams are divided into eight groups of four for the group stage. However, the forthcoming season will witness a significant expansion, with 36 clubs set to partake in the league phase, formerly known as the group stage.

This enlargement opens doors for four additional teams to vie against the continent’s top footballing powerhouses.

In the revamped structure, the 36 participating clubs will engage in a single league competition, where all teams will be ranked together.

This move aims to foster greater diversity and provide clubs with the opportunity to challenge themselves against a broader spectrum of opponents.

One of the notable alterations is the modification in fixture arrangements.

Instead of facing three opponents twice – once at home and once away – teams will now encounter eight different rivals. Each club will play half of their matches at home and the remaining half away.

To determine the matchups, teams will initially be categorised into four seeding pots. Subsequently, each team will be drawn to face two opponents from each pot, ensuring a balanced distribution of fixtures.

“UEFA has clearly shown that we are fully committed to respecting the fundamental values of sport and to defending the key principle of open competitions, with qualification based on sporting merit, fully in line with the values and solidarity-based European sports model,” said UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin.

“I am really pleased that it was a unanimous decision of the UEFA Executive Committee, with the European Club Association, European Leagues and national associations all agreeing with the proposal made. Another proof that European football is more united than ever,” he noted.