UEFA has changed the format of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League to a Swiss Model for the 2024/25 season.
The Champions League tournament has expanded from 32 to 36 teams, resulting in additional places being granted to the highest-performing leagues. Germany and Italy have earned extra spots in the competition due to the performances of their clubs across European competition in 2023/24. The Premier League, however, did not have a high enough coefficient to warrant a fifth-placed team to enter.
A new "league phase" will replace the traditional group stage of the competition from 2024/25 onwards, which will be quite an adjustment for teams and fans. However, there will still be a draw to determine exactly how that new phase will play out, and which sides will face one another before the knockouts.
The Sporting News takes a look at the key dates ahead of the new campaign.
MORE: New Champions League rules and format 2024/25
When is Champions League 2024/2025 draw?
The draw for the new UEFA Champions League "league phase" will be held on Thursday, August 29 in Monaco.
Further draws for the knockout rounds will take place in early 2025, as detailed below.
- Knockout round play-offs: January 21, 2025
- Round of 16, quarterfinal, semifinal: February 21, 2025
Champions League 2024/25 playoff round draw
The draw for the playoff round of the UEFA Champions League was held on August 5. The 10 teams to have progressed from the three qualifying rounds were drawn alongside Crvena Zvezda, Galatasaray, Young Boys and Dinamo Zagreb, who progressed directly to the playoffs.
The first legs take place on August 20 and 21, with the return games a week later on August 27 and 28. The winning teams advance to the league phase, with the seven defeated clubs dropping into the Europa League.
Playoff round draw
*Seeded teams in bold
Young Boys vs. Galatasaray
Dinamo Zagreb vs. Qarabag
Midtjylland vs. Slovan Bratislava
Bodo/Glimt vs. Crvena Zvezda
Malmo vs. Sparta Prague
Lille vs. Slavia Prague
Dynamo Kyiv vs. Red Bull Salzburg
UEFA Champions League new format, league phase explained
In May of 2021, UEFA announced a plan to expand the group stage of the competition from 32 to 36 teams.
However, starting with the 2024/25 competition, the Champions League will scrap the group phase and change to a "league phase" in which all 36 teams are organised in one league table. Initially, UEFA indicated that teams would play 10 matches in this new phase, but that has since been revised to eight.
UEFA's guidelines state: "Under the new format, teams will play eight matches in the new league phase (former group stage). They will no longer play three opponents twice — home and away — but will instead face fixtures against eight different teams, playing half of those matches at home and half of them away. To determine the eight different opponents, the teams will initially be ranked in four seeding pots. 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 league will resemble a domestic division in terms of structure, i.e. a team will earn three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a defeat.
At the end of this league phase, the top eight teams will automatically qualify for the knockout rounds. Teams finishing 9-24 will enter a two-legged playoff round, with teams 9-16 seeded against teams finishing 17-24. The eight winners of those playoff match-ups will earn a place in the knockout stage.
The remaining sides who finish 25th or lower will be eliminated, and will not drop into the Europa League.
An exciting new era for European club football awaits 🤩
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 4, 2024
Here’s how the #UCL will look from 2024/25 👇 pic.twitter.com/mEffFOpX2O
When is the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 league phase?
Matchday 1: September 17–19, 2024
Matchday 2: October 1/2, 2024
Matchday 3: October 22/23, 2024
Matchday 4: November 5/6, 2024
Matchday 5: November 26/27, 2024
Matchday 6: December 10/11, 2024
Matchday 7: January 21/22, 2025
Matchday 8: January 29, 2025
When is the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 knockout phase?
Knockout round playoffs: February 11/12 and February 18/19, 2025
Round of 16: March 4/5 and March 11/12, 2025
Quarterfinals: April 8/9 and April 15/16, 2025
Semifinals: April 29/30 and May 6/7, 2025
Final: May 31, 2025
