UEFA has introduced the brand new Champions League format, which is able to come into impact ranging from the 2024-25 season.
The soccer governing physique in Europe highlighted that the revised format prioritises choice based mostly on enjoying “merit,” resulting in prime groups dealing with one another extra typically.
According to a press release launched on UEFA’s web site on Monday, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, mentioned, “I am really pleased that it was a unanimous decision of the UEFA Executive Committee, with the European Club Association, European Leagues and national associations all agreeing with the proposal made. Another proof that European football is more united than ever.”
Below are the highlights of the brand new format, based on UEFA:
- The present Champions League group stage options 32 groups break up into eight teams of 4. Starting from the 2024/25 season, 36 golf equipment are set to participate within the Champions League league section (previously often called the group stage), offering 4 extra groups with the possibility to problem Europe’s prime golf equipment.
- These 36 golf equipment will participate in a unified league competitors the place all 36 golf equipment are ranked collectively.
- Teams will now compete in eight matches through the league section, which was beforehand often called the group stage.
- They are altering their schedule to play in opposition to eight totally different groups, with half of the matches at house and the opposite half away, as an alternative of enjoying three opponents twice.
- In order to establish the eight totally different opponents, the groups will first be ranked into 4 seeding pots. Every crew will likely be drawn to compete in opposition to two opponents from every of those pots, dealing with one crew from every pot at their house stadium and one away.
How will the 4 further Champions League group stage spots be allotted?
- Qualification for the Champions League will proceed to be open and depend upon a membership’s ultimate place within the earlier season’s home league competitors mixed with every affiliation’s place within the affiliation membership coefficient rating.
- The entry listing will keep its present construction for the upcoming season, with a further 4 slots being distributed for the 2024/25 season as outlined beneath:
- Slot one: This place will go to the membership ranked third within the championship of the affiliation in fifth place within the entry listing, which is set by the UEFA affiliation membership coefficient rating.
- Slot two: This place will likely be awarded to a home champion by extending from 4 to 5 the variety of golf equipment qualifying by way of the Champions path of the competitors’s qualifying course of, which is able to consist of 4 qualifying rounds.
- Slots three and 4: These locations will go to the associations with the most effective collective efficiency by their golf equipment within the earlier season (i.e. the affiliation membership coefficient of the earlier season, which relies on the overall variety of membership coefficient factors obtained by every membership from an affiliation divided by the variety of collaborating golf equipment from that affiliation). Those two associations will every earn one automated place within the league section (‘European Performance Spot’) for the membership ranked next-best of their home league behind these golf equipment which have already certified immediately for the league section.
How will groups attain the Champions League knockout section and can the format for the knockout section change?
- Each match final result will decide the ultimate rating within the league, following the standard level system of three factors for a win and one level for a draw.
- The groups ranked within the prime eight positions will safe direct qualification to the spherical of 16, whereas these positioned between ninth and twenty fourth will take part in a two-legged knock-out section play-off to earn their spot within the final 16 of the competitors. If groups end twenty fifth or decrease, they are going to be eradicated with none likelihood to take part within the UEFA Europa League.
- The up to date construction, the place all groups are ranked in a single league, will improve the stakes for each crew till the final night time of the league section.
- In the knockout section, the groups which completed between ninth and sixteenth will likely be seeded within the knockout section play-off draw, that means they are going to face a crew positioned seventeenth to twenty fourth – with, in precept, the return leg at house.
- The eight golf equipment which prevail within the knockout section play-offs will then progress to the spherical of 16, the place they are going to every face one of many top-eight finishers, who will likely be seeded within the spherical of 16.
- The pairings of the knockout section may even be partly decided by the league section rankings, with a draw which likewise determines and lays out the route for groups to succeed in the ultimate.
- From the spherical of 16 onwards, the competitors will proceed to comply with its present format of knockout rounds resulting in the ultimate staged at a impartial venue chosen by UEFA.
- All video games earlier than the ultimate will proceed to be performed in midweek, recognising the significance of the home calendar of video games throughout Europe, whereas the ultimate will proceed to be performed on a Saturday.
Will the Europa League and Europa Conference League codecs change from 2024/25 too?
- In the same method, changes will likely be made to the UEFA Europa League (eight matches in opposition to eight totally different opponents within the league section) and UEFA Europa Conference League, which will likely be often called the UEFA Conference League ranging from 2024/25 (six matches in opposition to six totally different opponents within the league section). Both tournaments will embody 36 groups within the league section.
How will the calendar search for the brand new format of the three competitions?
- The matches for the Champions League and Europa League are scheduled from September to January, with the Europa Conference League matches set to happen from September to December. Every UEFA membership competitors will characteristic a singular matchweek, with the opposite two competitions not having any matches throughout that point.
- During a normal week, Champions League video games are scheduled for Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with Europa League and Europa Conference League matches happening on Thursdays.
- During the Champions League unique week, matches will happen on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
- During the Europa League unique week, matches are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. During the Europa Conference League week, matches will likely be held on Thursday.
- During the ultimate matchday of every league section, all video games will likely be performed at the identical time.
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