Home of football statistics and historyThe 2023-24 Champions League group stage draw took place on 31st August 2023. From then on, the competition took a different turn. Back in April 2021, UEFA approved plans to add the number of contesting teams and alter Europe’s exclusive club competition. The new Champions League season will feature the new “Swiss League” style, and its 2024-25 season will be expanded to 36 teams. Since UEFA will enforce these changes this season, keep reading to know what to expect.
How the qualification will work
Regardless of the considerable alterations to the workings of the competition’s group stage, the qualification process has minor changes and offers just four more places. These spots will remain open, allowing every team to earn their position depending on their performance in domestic competitions.
The club that finishes third in the league and fifth by UEFA’s coefficient will take one of the extra places. Another place will be given to the domestic champion in order to increase the number of clubs that qualify for the competition from four to five. The last two slots are reserved for two leagues that finished in the top two in the 2023-24 season.
Slots for top performing leagues
The two leagues with top coefficients will also get another place in the Champions League. The Premier League clubs will benefit immensely from this if they perform well across Europe in the 2024-25 season. Spain could also be another beneficiary as they are second-placed in the coefficient rankings. This new Champions League format still maintains the uncertainty and thrill of its intense competition.
The additional teams will make winning this league an uphill task for the clubs but enjoyable for football fans. These thrilling encounters and match-ups will entice many football fans to show their support for their teams by wagering for them through legit top-rated online sportsbooks. These bookmarkers have competitive odds and various markets that will cater to every minor aspect of the game such as which team to score first, the number of bookings expected, and the top goalscorers. Moreover, they support live betting as well as allow for bet building.
What is the new Champions League format?
The teams that qualify for the group stage in the season’s Champions League will encounter a new format. Instead of 8 groups with 4 teams, the competitions will only have one league with 36 teams. Every team will face off with 10 different teams, 5 at home and 5 away from home. The next round will take the top eight teams qualifying for the 16 knockout stage. At this stage, the teams will face off in a two-legged knockout until the final. The 2024-25 Champions League final will be played in Munich at the Allianz Arena on 31st May 2025.
Why the changes?
According to UEFA’s statement on their website, the objective of the alterations to the Champions League format is to strategically address the evolving needs of stakeholders across all tiers of European football. These changes, as emphasized by Aleksander Ceferin, the President of UEFA, are meticulously designed to support the future and status of domestic football leagues throughout Europe. It also ensures that domestic performance remains vital in securing qualifications for the prestigious Champions League.
Under this new format, the pathway to actualizing the dream of all European football teams to participate in the UEFA Champions League based on the results they get from domestic competitions will become a reality. Consequently, in the long term, prosperity, growth, and viability will be achievable for every individual and club in European Football.
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