The UEFA Champions League is set to revolutionize European football with its new format for the 2024-2025 season, as revealed in the draw held on 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 utilized a hybrid format, combining a physical ball draw with a sophisticated algorithm to determine matchups, ensuring no derby matches and limiting encounters between teams from the same federation to a maximum of two.The 36 participating teams were divided into four pots of nine, based on their UEFA club coefficients. 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. Teams finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated from the competition.In a significant financial boost, UEFA will distribute €2.47 billion among the 36 participating teams, with each team receiving between €30 and €50 million. Additionally, teams will earn millions of euros for each point, win, and goal scored, further incentivizing competitive play.The competition will run from September 17, 2024, to January 29, 2025, with a dedicated week for Champions League matches. The final is scheduled for May 31, 2025, at the Allianz Arena in Munich.UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin expressed enthusiasm for the new format, stating, ‘We want the best teams to face each other more often and earlier in the competition’. However, some skepticism remains about the complexity of the new system.This radical change to the Champions League format is part of a broader trend in international football, with the total number of matches increasing from 96 to 144. As the football world prepares for this new era, all eyes will be on how this revolutionary format unfolds in the coming season.
Key points
- UEFA Champions League introduces a new 36-team league format for the 2024-2025 season.
- €2.
- Hybrid draw system combines physical balls and algorithm to ensure competitive balance.
- Top eight teams qualify directly for round of 16, while 9th-24th placed teams enter playoffs.
47 billion prize pool announced, with each team receiving €30-€50 million plus performance bonuses.
