UEFA Champions League 2024-25: New Format, Schedule, and Teams to Watch

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The UEFA Champions League returns for the 2024-25 season with a revamped format and structure, bringing significant changes to Europe's top club competition. For the first time, 36 teams will participate, an increase from the previous 32, and the traditional group stage has been replaced by a “league phase.” In this new format, each of the 36 teams will play eight matches against different opponents, alternating between home and away fixtures. Instead of the familiar group system, all teams are placed in a single league phase. At the end of this phase, the top eight teams will automatically advance to the round of 16, while teams finishing between ninth and 24th will enter a playoff round. The winners of these playoffs will then complete the round of 16, adding more games to the tournament and increasing the total number of matches from 125 to 189.

The draw for the 2024-25 season, which took place on August 29, set up several exciting matchups. Reigning champions Real Madrid will face Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan, while Manchester City, the 2023 Champions League winners, will take on Italian champions Inter Milan, along with PSG and Juventus. Other notable fixtures include Barcelona vs Bayern Munich on October 23 and Liverpool vs Real Madrid on November 27. Debutant teams such as Girona, Brest, and Aston Villa will also make their first appearances, offering fresh challenges to the more seasoned competitors.

The league phase will run from September 2024 to January 2025, extending beyond Christmas for the first time in the competition's history. The knockout stage will commence with the playoff round, scheduled for February 11-12 and 18-19, 2025, followed by the round of 16 in March. The quarterfinals and semifinals will take place in April, leading up to the final, which is set for May 31, 2025, at the Munich Football Arena in Germany.

Real Madrid is considered a strong favorite for the 2024-25 title, with key players like Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Jr., and Jude Bellingham leading the charge. Manchester City, under manager Pep Guardiola, is another top contender, aiming for back-to-back titles. Other major clubs such as Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Liverpool are also in the running for the trophy. The prize money for this season has seen a 25 percent increase, bringing the total financial pool to approximately €2.5 billion ($2.79 billion). The winning team stands to earn over €86 million ($95.6 million) in prize money.