In 1955, UEFA competitions were born, starting with the European Champions’ Cup, which later became the iconic Champions League, while the UEFA Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup transformed into the Europa League. These formats have become a staple part of our midweek routines, with continental football taking the spotlight on numerous Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays throughout the year.
But the upcoming 2024-25 campaign will bring significant changes to how these beloved tournaments are conducted, with a new look for the Champions League on the horizon. The next season will introduce a new 36-team league phase and subsequent playoff round before the traditional knockout matches.
The draw for the new league phase of the Champions League is set to take place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Thursday, August 29. Instead of each team being placed in separate groups as in previous years, this time around, the draw will pair each club with eight opponents from the total 36-team league.
The 36 teams will be divided into four pots consisting of nine teams each, with two opponents drawn from each pot. The seeding of these pots will be based on each club’s UEFA coefficient ranking. Another significant change will be seen in how the draw is conducted, as the previous format of former players selecting balls from a bowl will no longer be the sole determining factor.
Moving onto the qualifications for the Champions League, there will be a total of 36 teams in the initial league phase. 25 teams will secure automatic qualification based on their domestic league performance. Additionally, the winners of the Champions League and Europa League trophies will automatically earn a spot, along with two more clubs selected from UEFA’s ‘European Performance’ rankings.
Stay tuned for the latest updates as the Champions League undergoes a major transformation ahead of the 2024-25 season.
