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How does the new Champions League format work?

The Champions League has undergone a drastic revamp ahead of the 2024/25 season, which sees the number of matches in the new format increase from 125 to 189. The league phase will now be completed at the end of January instead of December. The winners will have played 17 games across the competition, while matches played across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in Europe's premier club competition will become the new normal.

Taking the total number of teams from 32 to 36 in the Champions League, the biggest change will see a transformation from the traditional group stage to a single league phase including all participating teams. Every club will now be guaranteed a minimum of eight league-stage games against eight different opponents (four home games, four away) rather than the previous six matches against three teams, played on a home-and-away basis. The top eight sides in the league will qualify automatically for the knockout stages, while the teams finishing in ninth to 24th place will compete in a two-legged play-off to secure a place in the last 16 of the competition. Teams ranked 25-36 are eliminated from all competitions.

Where is the Champions League final being held in 2025?

The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League season will take place in Munich at the Allianz Arena on May 31, 2025.