The Champions League format will be changed in the coming years after the UEFA Executive Committee approved the change last year.
The UEFA Champions League returns tonight, with all 32 teams hoping to claim the famous trophy at Wembley Stadium in June.
After more than 30 years of historic evenings in Europe, this season will be the last time the competition follows its customary format. There are now eight groups, with the top two teams advancing to the knockout stages, followed by a round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and final.
However, the ‘Swiss Model’ will be used for the 2024/25 season, with a number of significant adjustments. Football.london has all the information you need about UEFA’s new Champions League system right here.
The new format will see 36 teams play, up from 32 previously, resulting in 189 games on the schedule rather than 125. The group stage will be replaced with a league phase in which each team will play ten games, five at home and five away.
The top eight teams in the league will automatically qualify for the knockout stages, with those placing ninth to 24th fighting in a two-leg play-off for a place in the last-16, and the bottom 12 exiting the tournament and not entering the Europa League.
Two of the remaining four berths will be granted to nations whose clubs had the best performance the previous season – total points won divided by the number of competing sides will be used to decide this.
Another change will be the ability for clubs from the same country to play each other in the early knockout stages. Domestic matches are currently prohibited until the quarter-finals.
As the tournament advances, the last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final will be the same as in prior years.
Because of the Premier League’s supremacy in Europe, England is almost certain to get five Champions League spots instead of the current four. The same thing is expected to occur in Spain, Germany, and Italy.
The historic ‘battle for top four’ in England may soon be replaced by a ‘race for top five,’ providing a significant boost to teams that have struggled to break into the Champions League rankings.
Tottenham and Chelsea are currently without European football after poor seasons in 2022/23. Both sides will be hoping for an immediate return to the Champions League and may benefit from the additional slot in the Premier League.
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