UEFA has not been slow to react to the emergence (and threat) of the Super League. European football is experiencing moments of tension and certain anxiety in the face of a clearly threatened status quo. For now, the Champions League remains the jewel in the crown and will change its face starting next season.
Underlining and repeating that the competition is based on sporting merits – a direct and clear message to the Super League -, UEFA has influenced the changes that the largest club competition in the world will undergo starting in the 2024-2025 academic year.
The first big change comes in the list of participants, which goes from the current 32 to 36. Although the main novelty undoubtedly lies in the change in the format of the first phase of the Champions League, which goes from 8 groups of 4 teams to a global league of 36 teams.
This change does not imply that they will play all against all, as if it were a domestic league, since there are not so many dates available and it would take forever. To determine the teams that will qualify for the round of 16, a curious pairing system has been established within the same league, which can lead to confusion for fans. Surely, this will happen in the first months.
The 36 teams will be divided into four pots by coefficient and each one will be paired with eight other teams, two from each pot, so it is assumed that they will have rivals of a similar level.
Thus, the first phase will consist of eight games – currently six are played in the group stage, three at home and three away from home. Each team will play four of those games at home – one per pot – and four away from home – one per pot.
The teams will add three points for each victory and one for each draw, all sharing the same classification despite not facing the same rivals. In this section, the goal difference will play a fundamental role when establishing the classification, which will be global with the 36 teams.
At the conclusion of the eight days, which will be held from September to January, another novelty, a final classification will be established and the first eight will directly access the round of 16.
The remaining eight places for the crosses will be competed for by the teams located between the ninth and twenty-fourth final position. The rest are eliminated from all European competitions, there will be no places for the Europa League or the Conference League. The round of 16 playoff will be played over two legs, with the teams classified between 9th and 17th place playing the second leg at home.
From the round of 16 onwards, the current format will be maintained, with two-legged knockouts until the final, which will be played in a single leg. Similar changes, with some tweaks, will also apply to the Europa League and the Conference League.
