UEFA Explains New Champions League Format
From the 2024/2025 season onwards, the UEFA Champions League will be played out in an entirely new format.
Per a statement published on UEFA’s website on Monday, 4 March, the football governing body announced that it will be introducing a new format that will see 36 clubs competing instead of the usual 32.
“[A total of] 36 clubs will participate in the Champions League league phase [former group stage], giving four more sides the opportunity to compete against the best clubs in Europe,” the statement reads. “Those 36 clubs will participate in a single league competition in which all 36 competing clubs are ranked together.”
In this phase, each team will play eight matches against eight different opponents, which will prevent them from playing against the same three clubs twice.
“To determine the eight different opponents, the teams will initially be ranked in four seeding pots,” the statement continues. “Each team will then be drawn to play two opponents from each of these pots, playing one match against a team from each pot at home, and one away.”
The top eight teams that emerge from this phase will go on to compete in the round of 16 matches.
The newly-reformatted edition of the tournament will commence on 17 September 2024 – here’s hoping all goes well!
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