UEFA Introduces New Format Ahead Of 2024/25 Champions League Season

The Union of European Footballing Associations (UEFA), has announced a new structure for the Champions League starting from the 2024-2025 season.

The modifications were outlined in a video released by UEFA through popular football transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano.

Sportxparte understands that the existing 32-team group stage will be substituted with a unified 36-team league phase across the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League.

Every team will face eight distinct opponents, two from each of the four seeding pots, engaging in four home and four away matches.

The top eight teams will secure direct qualification to the Round of 16.

The teams ranked from ninth to 24th are required to compete against each other in a knockout playoff round in order to secure a spot in the pre-quarterfinals alongside the top eight teams.

Conversely, teams finishing 25th to 36th are immediately eliminated from all competitions, unlike the previous system where third-placed group finishers would move down to the preliminary playoff round of the lower European league.