It’s a new era for the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League. A new format has been implemented to shake up the competition for the first time.
Changes made on Monday mean that in the 2024/25 season, the competitions will look a little different.
Let’s see what changes have been made and how they will affect the clubs playing European football next year!
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Changes to the Champions League Format
In a significant departure from the current format, UEFA has announced the discontinuation of the 32-team group stage in its men’s club competitions.
Instead, a unified 36-team league phase will be introduced across the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Conference League.
Four extra group stage spots will be allocated based on clubs’ final positions in domestic leagues and association club coefficients.
Under this new setup, teams will face a diverse range of opponents, with each club drawn against eight different rivals.
This means each team will play four matches at home and four away. The road to the round of 16 in the revamped UEFA club competitions offers a clear path for the top-performing teams.
Teams finishing in the top eight positions will secure direct qualification to the round of 16, while those placed between 9th and 24th will participate in a two-legged knockout play-off phase.
For teams finishing below 24th place, their journey ends prematurely. Positions 25th to 36th spell elimination, leaving no opportunity for further progression in the competition.
This streamlined approach intensifies competition and emphasises the importance of securing a top spot in the league phase.
The Europa League and Europa Conference League will also undergo adjustments, with similar league phase formats and unique match weeks to avoid scheduling conflicts.
What Does it Mean for Europe’s Elite Competition?
Essentially, this means the top sides across Europe will meet each other more often.
Whether you are Liverpool, Manchester City, or Real Madrid, you will have to play against a wider range of elite opponents home and away.
It also means the chance of upsets early on in the knockout rounds will be decreased massively with the best-ranked clubs able to avoid this phase.
UEFA believe the expansion of the competitions will allow more teams to compete on the European stage, offering fans a wider collection of clubs to support and follow throughout the tournaments.
By restructuring the formats, UEFA aims to promote a greater competitive balance among participating teams.
This adjustment ensures that matches are more evenly contested, providing fans with thrilling encounters and unpredictable outcomes from matchday one.
With every game holding significance until the final matchday, fans can expect heightened excitement and drama throughout the competitions.
The revised format ensures that each match carries weight, intensifying the stakes and enhancing the overall viewing experience for fans worldwide.
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