Eight different opponents in a single League phase
The Champions League is undergoing a bold redesign starting in the 2024-25 season. The plan centers on a Swiss style switch from a traditional group stage to a single large League stage that groups all teams together. This change ends the old system of separate groups and also removes the old coefficient access that decided entry to the competition. In a move that emphasizes sporting merit, the format focuses on performance on the pitch rather than past results or market strength.
The idea behind this shift is often contrasted with the European Super League proposal. The new format places a premium on competitive balance and fair play, aiming to reward teams for on field performance rather than financial heft. Proponents argue that the emphasis on results traps less reliance on external factors and fosters a more dynamic competition.
Key figures including Florentino Perez, Joan Laporta, and Andrea Agnelli have kept the debate alive, while UEFA has kept the calendar tight by proposing a single final in a single city. The concept mirrors the finalist model used in Lisbon during 2020, which emerged in the wake of the pandemic, and could involve a final four arrangement with more clubs than previously suggested. At present, the exact composition of that final four remains undecided.
Two early ideas were scaled back after feedback from leagues and clubs. The first was elevating the first phase to ten group stage matches per club, a plan that was dropped in favor of eight matches to better reflect the realities of the domestic calendar. The second was to grant two of the eight league spots to the two best-ranked national leagues from the previous season; this proposal was also revised to ensure a more transparent, merit-based system that reduces arbitrariness.
Allocating European fixtures across the week
Under the revised plan, each team in the league phase will face eight distinct opponents. Home and away fixtures are balanced with four matches at home and four on the road, totaling eight games per club in the league stage instead of the previous six. This ensures a broader testing ground for teams as they vie for qualification to the knockout rounds.
UEFA outlined that the top eight teams in the League will automatically secure spots for the next stage, while teams finishing ninth through twenty-fourth will enter a two-legged play-in to reach the group phase stage. The process is designed to maintain a clear path to participation for teams across a wider geographic and competitive spectrum.
All league matches are planned to be staged during the week, with a possible exception for the final if the final four model is adopted. This scheduling choice reflects the intention to protect domestic leagues while still delivering high-stakes European action. Not every country will host weekend league games when the midweek schedule is in play.
Balancing competition and revenue
Supporters of the format argue that the changes will strike the right balance between competition and long-term revenue. The leadership of the competition has stressed that the ranking will continue to be determined solely by sporting merit and that the European sport model will retain its core values. The aim is to sustain open competition and ensure that clubs can compete for a place in Europe based on performance rather than external factors.
The changes apply not only to the Champions League but also to the Europa League and the Conference League, each featuring 36 teams in their league stages under the new system. This broader reform underscores UEFA’s commitment to creating a unified and competitive continental framework where performance guides advancement across all major European club competitions.
CEFERIN, the UEFA president, has consistently emphasized that the new format will strengthen competitive integrity while providing solid, predictable revenue streams for participating clubs. He notes that the competition will continue to recognize merit and maintain a clear link between on-pitch results and qualification, reinforcing the principle that sport should lead the way in European competition strategy. The ongoing discussion continues to position UEFA against elite models and reinforces a pathway that favors broad participation grounded in sporting achievement.