The UEFA Champions League has returned, but it’s different from anything we’ve seen before. Some changes are straightforward, while others are more complex and may remain a bit unclear until we reach the knockout rounds in February.
Here’s a rundown of the new format: How did the draw unfold? What can we expect from the league phase?
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What’s the new format for the Champions League?
Let's start with the basics. This season marks the first format change for Europe's top club competition in 21 years. Previously, 32 teams were divided into eight groups of four. The top two teams from each group advanced to the round of 16, the third-placed teams moved to the UEFA Cup/Europa League, and the fourth-placed teams were eliminated from European competition.
We now have 36 teams, but they won’t be placed into traditional groups. Instead, we have a "league phase" for the Champions League.
Here’s how it works:
- Teams finishing in positions 25 to 36 will be eliminated in January.
- The 16 teams ranked 9 through 24 will compete in knockout phase playoffs in February to secure a spot in the round of 16.
- The top eight teams will advance directly to the round of 16, which will take place in March.
Also new this year: teams can no longer drop down to the Europa League from the Champions League, or to the UEFA Conference League from the Europa League. Once you’re out, you’re out.
From the knockout phase playoffs onward, the competition will continue with a two-legged format until the semifinals, with a traditional one-legged final. However, there will be some changes to the draw process—more details on that later.
What did the draw pots for the Champions League look like?
The draw structure remained familiar, with four pots each containing nine teams instead of eight. However, there were some notable adjustments due to the expanded field.
How has the seeding changed?
In the past, Pot 1 contained the Champions League and Europa League holders, along with the champions of the top six domestic leagues. Pots 2 through 4 were then organized based on UEFA’s club coefficient, which ranks clubs according to their performance in European competitions over the previous five seasons.
Now, only the Champions League titleholders are automatically placed in Pot 1, with all other positions determined by the UEFA club coefficient.
With the new Champions League format, the relevance of the pots has diminished, as teams are now drawn to play two clubs from their own pot. Previously, being in Pot 1 could offer a more favorable draw since teams in the same pot couldn’t be drawn against each other in the group stage.