The UEFA Champions League is Europe's top club competition, and its format changed significantly from the 2024/25 season. The old eight-group system was replaced by a single "league phase" with 36 teams. If you have only followed the previous version, this guide will explain how the competition now works from start to finish. You can follow European fixtures on our football live scores page.
Who takes part
The competition has 36 clubs, up from 32 in the earlier format. Places are earned by finishing high in domestic leagues, which is why the table in countries such as England is so important; see our Premier League table guide. Places are also given to the winners of the previous season's Champions League and Europa League, and to champions from smaller leagues who come through qualifying rounds. The more successful a country's clubs are in Europe, the more places that country may receive.
The league phase
Instead of four-team groups, all 36 clubs are placed in a single league table. Each club plays eight matches, each against a different opponent: four at home and four away. The opponents are determined by a draw, but clubs are seeded into four pots by ranking, with each club playing two opponents from each pot.
This means that not every club plays the same opponents, so the table is built on a mixture of results and the strength of schedule, but every club plays the same number of matches.
- Win: 3 points.
- Draw: 1 point.
- Loss: 0 points.
What the final league positions mean
- 1st to 8th: qualify directly for the Round of 16.
- 9th to 24th: enter the knockout phase play-offs, a two-legged tie to reach the Round of 16.
- 25th to 36th: eliminated from the competition. Unlike in earlier formats, these clubs do not drop into the Europa League.
Tie-breakers for positions on the table are, in order, goal difference, goals scored and then other measures such as away goals scored and wins.
The knockout play-offs
Teams ranked 9th to 16th are seeded and play against teams ranked 17th to 24th. Each tie is played over two legs, one at each club's stadium, with the higher-ranked team hosting the second leg. The aggregate winner advances to the Round of 16, joining the eight top teams from the league phase.
The Round of 16 to the final
From the Round of 16 onwards, the competition is a traditional knockout tournament, with two-legged ties through the quarter-finals and semi-finals. If the aggregate score is level after both legs, 30 minutes of extra time is played, followed by a penalty shoot-out if needed. The away goals rule was abolished in 2021, so away goals no longer count double.
The final is a single match at a neutral stadium, typically played at the end of May or the start of June.
Why UEFA changed the format
The new system aims to create more meaningful matches, giving more clubs a chance to compete throughout the league phase, and increases the number of games between top clubs. It also means that big clubs can no longer qualify from a four-team group by only beating weaker teams, as each must play a mix of opponents.
How to follow it
When you look at a league-phase table, check three things: points and games played, goal difference for tie-breaks, and the dividing lines after 8th and 24th place. Those lines are where the drama happens in the last matchday. With the format clear, you can follow the whole journey from the first draw to the final whistle.
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