The UEFA Champions League is set to embark on a revolutionary new format for the 2024-2025 season, with the draw scheduled for August 29, 2024, at 18:00 CET in Monaco. This landmark change will see 36 teams competing in a single ‘league phase,’ replacing the traditional group stage format.Under the new system, each team will play eight matches against different opponents – four at home and four away. The draw will utilize a hybrid format, combining a physical ball draw with a sophisticated algorithm to determine matchups. This approach ensures that no derby matches occur and limits encounters between teams from the same federation to a maximum of two.The 36 participating teams will be divided into four pots of nine, based on their UEFA club coefficients, with the reigning champion, Real Madrid, automatically placed in Pot 1. The top eight teams in the final standings will qualify directly for the round of 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th will compete in playoffs for the remaining spots.UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin expressed enthusiasm for the new format, stating, ‘It will be a new and exciting format, with the possibility of big matches from the beginning’. However, some skepticism remains, with an executive quoted in The Independent asking, ‘How does this actually work, then?’.The competition will run from September 2024 to January 2025, with a dedicated week for Champions League matches. The final is scheduled for May 31, 2025, at the Allianz Arena in Munich.This radical change to the Champions League format is part of a broader trend in international football, with the FIFA World Cup expanding to 48 teams and the Club World Cup to 32 teams. As the football world prepares for this new era, all eyes will be on the draw in Monaco to see how this revolutionary format unfolds.
Key points
- UEFA Champions League introduces a new 36-team ‘league phase’ format for the 2024-2025 season.
- The draw will use a hybrid system combining physical balls and an algorithm to determine matchups.
- Top eight teams qualify directly for round of 16, while teams ranked 9-24 enter playoffs.
- The new format aims to increase competitiveness and provide more high-profile matches from the start.
- Some skepticism remains about the complexity and effectiveness of the new system.
Contradictions👾While UEFA officials express enthusiasm for the new format, some executives and critics question its complexity and effectiveness.
