Champions League

UEFA announces new UCL format in the midst of Super League controversy

The UEFA has unveiled the new format of theUEFA Champions Leagueforthe 2024/25 season onwards. Thisnews wasannounced while there's high tension due to the creation of the European Super League.

April 19, 2021 07:08PM EDT

The UEFA Champions League will have a new format from 2024 onwards (Getty).

While the world of soccer is still confused after the announcement from twelve European clubs about the inception of the European Super League, the UEFA has also revealed plans for the next years. The sport’s governing body in the continent is simultaneously facing serious issues with the new autonomous competition that some important teams are encouraging.

The Champions League has always been the tournament where the best teams featured, the league where everybody dreamt of playing, and thehighly-desired trophy for any European club. The creation of the Super League threatens theessence of the prestigious cup.

However, whilethe UEFA paysattention to the whole situation regardingthecompetition that some big clubs want to create, they also continue thinking about theircontests. That’s why today it was announced the new Champions League format that will start to take place in the 2024/25 season. Check out how it will be played from that year onwards.

The new Champions League to begin in 2024

The famous tournament where the best teams in Europe clash every season may be in danger with the Super League plans. Anyways, the UEFA intends to hold onto their greatest tournament and have unveiled significant changes to startin 2024.

The Champions League’s number of participants will increase from 32 to 36. But most importantly, the traditional format that included a group stage willvanish. Instead, the UCL will have a league stage with all qualified teams. Each of these sides will play 10 games against 10 different rivals,five at home and five away.

There won’t be a UCL group stage anymore from 2024 onwards (Getty).

The top eight teams in the standings will progress to the Round of 16. Sides from the ninth to24th position will face off in a two-legged playoff to earn a berth among the best sixteen of the competition. From then on, two-legged playoffs until the final, which will continue being a single game.

Suddenly, the beautiful game is in the midst of big changes in the most popular competitions. While the European Super League may be putting the core of the sport atrisk, the beloved Champions League we knew up to now will be different in a few seasons.

Martín O’donnell

Martin O'Donnell is a bilingual sports writer fluent in English and Spanish, currently serving as the Editor of Bolavip. He began his journey with the website in February 2021, making a name for himself through comprehensive coverage of soccer, NFL, and NBA, with a specialty in real-time reporting of major events such as the World Cup, UEFA Champions League finals, and the Super Bowl. In June 2024, Martin took on the role of Subeditor, where he excelled in overseeing the publication of stories, assisting staff writers, and ensuring content quality. His prior experience includes managing social media for CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana in English and Spanish, as well as reporting on Brazilian football for Sambafoot. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and ability to capture breaking news, Martin has consistently been a valuable asset to the Bolavip team, especially during crucial sports seasons involving trades, playoffs, and finals. Now, as the Editor, Martin brings his extensive experience and keen editorial sense to lead Bolavip’s team, driving the website's growth and ensuring it remains a top source for sports news and analysis.