Champions League 2024/25: Everything You Need to Know
The 2024/25 Champions League season is set to bring about significant changes to the competition’s format. The new format will feature 36 teams participating in a single league phase, with each team guaranteed a minimum of eight league-stage games against eight different opponents.
The new Champions League format is set to bring about exciting changes to the competition.
The top eight sides in the league will qualify automatically for the knockout stages, while the teams finishing in ninth to 24th place will compete in a two-legged play-off to secure a place in the last 16 of the competition. Teams ranked 25-36 are eliminated from all competitions.
Qualifying Teams
So far, the following sides have qualified for the league phase:
- Shakhtar Donetsk and Benfica have qualified by virtue of the Champions League and Europa League winners having already qualified via their domestic league performance or as a result of their country’s collective performance in Europe this season.
- England: Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa
- Spain: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, Atletico Madrid
- Germany: Leverkusen, Stuttgart, Bayern, Leipzig
- Italy: Inter Milan, AC Milan, Bologna, Juventus
- France: Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco, Brest
- Netherlands: PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord
- Portugal: Sporting CP
- Belgium: Club Brugge
- Scotland: Celtic
- Austria: Sturm Graz
- European Performance Spots: Roma (Ita), Dortmund (Ger)
- Champions League winner rebalancing: Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
- Europa League winner rebalancing: Benfica (Por)
Qualifying Rounds
Seven teams will enter via winning a two-legged play-off. Rangers are entering the third qualifying round, with the draw for that stage being held on July 22.
Draw for the League Phase
The draw for the league phase will be held on August 29.
Nations Gaining Extra Places
Two leagues - Italy and Germany - have been rewarded with an extra place in next season’s Champions League based on performance in Europe this season.
Fixtures and Schedule
Clubs will no longer play three opponents twice - home and away. Instead, they will face fixtures against eight different teams, playing half of those matches at home and half of them away.
The fixtures have been scheduled as follows:
- 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
Knockout Stages
The knockout stages will take place through the second half of the season and culminate at the end of the campaign, as they do now.
Final
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League season will take place in Munich at the Allianz Arena on May 31, 2025.
The Champions League final will take place at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
In other news, Manchester United are reportedly weighing up a deal to sign Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah this summer. Meanwhile, Arsenal appear to have won the battle to sign RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, and Liverpool are facing a battle to keep Luis Diaz and Joe Gomes at Anfield with both players attracting interest from the Saudi Pro League this summer.
The summer transfer window is set to be an exciting one.
