Redaction Simon Brett with Dylan Oakley
Published on 2024-09-18 09:11:20
UEFA has changed the Champions League format for the first time since 1992, eliminating the traditional group stage. Manchester City, Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Liverpool will be the first English teams to compete in the new system. The change was approved in 2021, and the 2024/25 season will be the first to implement the new format with 36 teams participating instead of 32.
The new Champions League format will feature a ‘League Phase’ where all 36 teams will compete for the top spots. Each team will play eight games, with fixtures determined using a seeded pot system. The teams will play against two teams from each pot, and the league phase will end in an 18-game finale to decide which teams advance to the knockout stage.
After the league phase, the top eight teams will automatically advance to the Round of 16. Teams in positions 9-24 will enter a knockout playoff round, while teams in positions 25-36 will be eliminated. The knockout stage will follow the traditional format, with two-leg games leading up to a one-leg final in Munich on Saturday 31 May 2025.
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