The UEFA Champions League is set to return this season with a significant change in its format. Marking its 70th edition, the tournament will adopt a new, more demanding structure.
Instead of the traditional group stage, this year's competition will feature a single 36-team league stage. Each team will play eight matches—four at home and four away—against different opponents. The top eight teams will automatically qualify for the round of 16. Teams finishing between ninth and twenty-fourth place will enter a knockout play-off round, with the winners moving on to join the last 16. From that point forward, the tournament will continue in a straightforward knockout format leading up to the final.
Now, UEFA has released the schedule for the competition. The group stage matches (now phase matches) will be as follows;
Matchday 1: 17–19 September 2024
Matchday 2: 1/2 October 2024
Matchday 3: 22/23 October 2024
Matchday 4: 5/6 November 2024
Matchday 5: 26/27 November 2024
Matchday 6: 10/11 December 2024
Matchday 7: 21/22 January 2025
Matchday 8: 29 January 2025
The knockout matches will be as follows;
Knockout round play-offs: 11/12 & 18/19 February 2025
Round of 16: 4/5 & 11/12 March 2025
Quarter-finals: 8/9 & 15/16 April 2025
Semi-finals: 29/30 April & 6/7 May 2025
Final: 31 May 2025
Champions League Draws
The draws for the Phase Matches will take place on the 29th of August. Draws for knockout round play-offs will be held on the 31st of January while the draws for round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals will hold on the 21st of February.
Final
The final will hold at the Allianz Arena, the home of German side Bayern Munchen
