Champions League 2024 - 25: The complete guide to the new format

With the final qualifying round set to kick off today, the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 is getting closer to revealing all its participating teams. 

Inter Milan, already qualified and placed in the first pot, will learn their path on 29 August, when the draw for the single-league phase will be held in Monte Carlo for the first time in the competition's history.

However, before that, four different qualifying rounds will take place, determining the remaining teams needed to complete the 36-team lineup. Below, you’ll find all the information on the new Champions League format.

How the format changes

The main changes include the disbandment of the group stage system and an increase in the number of teams participating in the tournament, from 32 to 36. 

Under the new format, teams will play eight matches in a single-league phase: instead of playing twice, home and away, against three opponents as in the old format, they will play eight matches against eight different opponents, with half of the matches at home and half away.

To determine the eight opponents, teams will initially be divided into four pots and drawn to play against two teams from each pot, with one home and one away match against teams from the same pot.

 How to reach the knockout stage

The results of each match will contribute to the overall standings of the 36 participating teams. The top eight teams in the single-league phase will advance directly to the Round of 16.

Teams finishing between 9th and 24th place will compete in knockout play-offs, with home and away matches, to fill the remaining spots in the Round of 16. In these playoffs, teams ranked 9th to 16th will be seeded and will generally play the second leg of their tie at home. 

Teams ranked 25th and below will be automatically eliminated, with no chance of redemption in the UEFA Europa League.

The draw to determine the Round of 16 matchups will also set the path for teams through to the final, thus completing the entire knockout bracket.

THE DATES

The first matchday of the single-league phase of the competition will begin on 17 September, while the eighth and final matchday of this phase will take place on 29 January 2025.

Here are all the dates for the single-league phase of the upcoming UEFA Champions League:

Matchday 1: 17–19 September 2024

Matchday 2: 1/2 October 2024

Matchday 3: 22/23 October 2024

Matchday 4: 5/6 November 2024

Matchday 5: 26/27 November 2024

Matchday 6: 10/11 December 2024

Matchday 7: 21/22 January 2025

Matchday 8: 29 January 2025

After the playoffs, which will be drawn in Nyon on 31 January 2025 and played on 11-12 February (first leg) and 18-19 February (second leg), there will be the final draw, which will determine the pairings for the Round of 16 and the rest of the knockout stage, also in Nyon, on 21 February 2025.

As for the final stages of the tournament, the Round of 16 will take place on 4-5 March (first leg) and 11-12 March (second leg), while the quarter-finals will be on 8-9 April (first leg) and 15-16 April (second leg). The semi-finals will be played on 29-30 April (first leg) and 6-7 May (second leg).

The Final

The final act of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 will be played at the Allianz Arena in Munich on 31 May 2025. 

This will be the fifth final held in Munich in the history of the competition and the second at the Allianz Arena, following the 2012 final.