UEFA Champions League 2024-25: New Format, Schedule, Teams, Final Date, Where To Watch - All You Need To Know

Keep reading if you want to know not just about the new format of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 but every important detail of the new season of the premier club competition in the world

Outlook Sports Desk

Updated on: 17 September 2024 4:26 pm

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The Champions League trophy.

The fight for the biggest prize of European football begins this Tuesday, September 17. (More Football News)

The 2024-25 edition is the 70th season of Europe's elite club competition. It is the 33rd since it was rebranded as the UEFA Champions League. Also, this will be the first edition with a new format since 2003-04. The knockout rounds remain the same but the group stages have been switched for a league stage.

Keep reading if you want to know not just about the new format of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 but every important detail of the new season of the premier club competition in the world.

UEFA Champions League 2024. - X/ChampionsLeague

UEFA Champions League New Format Explained: More Teams, More Games, More Prize Money

BY Associated Press

UEFA Champions League 2024-25 New Format Explained

The format of the tournament sees a major change from this season onwards. Instead of the usual eight groups of four with each team playing three matches home and three away, we now have a league stage as the first round of the Champions League.

Four more teams have been added to take the total number of teams competing to 36 from 32. Instead of getting divided into groups, these 36 teams will be in the same league with each team playing against eight teams. The draw took place earlier to decide who faces whom in the league stage.

After each team has played eight games, the top eight will move straight to the pre-quarterfinals. Teams finishing from ninth to 24th will contest the knockout phase play-offs, with the victors going through to the last 16, where they meet one of the top eight sides. After that normal knockout format will be followed.