With UEFA announcing its plans for a new Champions League format for the 2024-25 season, we take a look at the proposed changes, and what the consequences may be for clubs, players, and the competition itself.
What are the changes?
The league phase
The current 32-team group stage format is being increased to a 36-team single league phase, where all 36 teams compete in one table. Each team will play eight games. In order to determine their opponents, each team will be ranked and seeded in four different pots, where they will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, playing eight games in total – four games at home and four away.
The knockout phase
To qualify for the round of 16, teams must finish in the top eight positions in the league. Clubs that finish between ninth place and 24th will meet in a two-legged knockout playoff round to determine who qualifies for the remaining eight spots in the round of 16. Teams that finish in 25th place or lower are eliminated from all forms of European competition.
All ties in the knockout phase will be completed home and away, with a single-legged final crowning the winners of the competition.
Why has the format changed?
UEFA claim that the changes are to allow fans to see more top European matches and to introduce a better competitive balance within the competition. The league phase will mean more matches between equally matched teams, and the standings will be fast-changing and unpredictable.
However, there are two clear incentives for the changes: money and the threat of the Super League.
Firstly, more games mean more money for UEFA, with the “top teams” meeting earlier in the competition. The format increases the gulf between the big clubs and the smaller clubs, with an upset less likely to have as much impact on the final league table with the two extra league games.
However, increased pressure to see more blockbuster ties between European heavyweights seems to be the other reason for the switch-up. The new model is similar to that proposed by the Super League, with the exception that it is not a closed format.
There’s no doubt, though, that the changes are being driven by financial incentives and the ever-expanding growth of professional football. The consequences of the changes are yet to be seen, but they will have a knock-on effect on the domestic leagues as each association’s elite teams will have even more games to play in what is already a congested schedule. With early-round FA cup replays already being scrapped over the last few years, teams participating in Europe will no doubt prioritise European football. As a result, they may field weaker sides in domestic ties, and potentially devalue domestic cup competitions even further.
What do you make of the new format?
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