The Evolution of European Football: Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League’s New Format for 2024/25

European football has always been dynamic, constantly evolving to meet the demands of clubs, players, and fans. Since its inception in 1955, UEFA’s premier competition, the European Champion Clubs’ Cup, now known as the UEFA Champions League, has undergone various changes to keep pace with the game’s growth. The latest evolution comes in the form of a significant format change starting from the 2024/25 season, impacting not only the Champions League but also the Europa League and Conference League.

This new format, often called the “Swiss model,” marks a departure from the traditional group stage system. This change has been carefully designed following extensive consultations with key stakeholders in the European football community, ensuring that it benefits everyone involved in the sport.

The Swiss Model: A New Approach

The Swiss model is a competition format originally used in chess and other individual sports. In football, it has been adapted to create a more dynamic and varied league phase. Here’s how it works:

• Single League Phase: Instead of dividing teams into smaller groups, all participating teams are placed into a single league table.
• Unbalanced Matches: Each team plays a set number of matches against different opponents. For example, in the Champions League, each team will play eight matches against different teams, rather than facing the same three opponents twice.
• Ranking System: Teams are ranked in a single league table based on their match results, with the traditional three points for a win and one point for a draw.
• No Repeated Opponents: Teams do not play the same opponent more than once during the league phase, adding variety and reducing predictability.
• Qualification for Knockouts: After the league phase, the top teams advance directly to the knockout rounds, while teams lower in the rankings may need to go through playoff matches.

The Swiss model allows for greater variety in matchups, ensures more competitive games, and keeps more teams in contention for longer periods, making the competition more exciting for fans.

Champions League: The New Format

Starting in the 2024/25 season, the UEFA Champions League will expand from 32 to 36 teams. The traditional group stage will be replaced by a single league phase, where all 36 teams are ranked together. Each team will play eight matches against different opponents, determined by a seeding system.

• Variety in Opponents: Teams will no longer play the same opponents twice. Instead, they will face eight different teams, playing four matches at home and four away.
• Qualification: The top eight teams in the league phase will automatically qualify for the round of 16. Teams finishing between 9th and 24th will compete in a two-legged playoff to secure their place in the knockout stage.
• Knockout Phase: The knockout rounds will follow the existing format, with matches from the round of 16 leading to the final, which will continue to be played at a neutral venue.

The introduction of the Swiss model in the Champions League is expected to provide more exciting matchups, with top teams facing each other earlier in the competition. This change aims to create a better competitive balance and ensure that every game has the potential to impact a team’s progress.

How Will the Extra Champions League Spots Be Allocated?

With the expansion to 36 teams, four additional spots will be available in the Champions League. These will be allocated as follows:

• Slot One: This spot will go to the club that finishes third in the domestic league of the fifth-ranked association in the UEFA club coefficient rankings.
• Slot Two: This spot will be awarded to a domestic champion, increasing the number of clubs qualifying through the Champions Path in the competition’s qualifying rounds.
• Slots Three and Four: These will go to the associations with the best collective performance in European competitions during the previous season, providing an automatic spot for the next-best team in their domestic league.

Europa League and Conference League: Similar Changes

The Europa League and Conference League (to be rebranded as the UEFA Conference League) will also adopt the Swiss model starting in 2024/25.

• Europa League: The league phase will feature 36 teams, with each team playing eight matches against different opponents. The qualification process and knockout stages will mirror the changes in the Champions League.
• Conference League: Similarly, 36 teams will participate in the league phase, playing six matches against different opponents. The knockout stage will follow the same structure as the other competitions.

These changes aim to bring more teams into European competitions, providing more opportunities for clubs across Europe to compete on the continental stage.

New Calendar and Match Scheduling

The 2024/25 season will also see changes in the scheduling of European matches:

• Champions League and Europa League: Matches will be played between September and January, with each competition having one exclusive match week where no other European games are scheduled.
• Conference League: Matches will be played between September and December, with the same exclusive matchweek format.

The Champions League will continue to be played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while Europa League and Conference League matches will take place on Thursdays. The final matchday of each competition’s league phase will see all games played simultaneously, ensuring a thrilling conclusion to the group stages.

Benefits for Fans and European Football

The new format is designed to enhance the fan experience by providing more top-level matches earlier in the competition. Fans will see a greater variety of opponents and more exciting games, with every result potentially affecting a team’s progress right up until the final matchday.

For European football as a whole, these changes aim to secure the future of the game by ensuring more competitive balance and providing more opportunities for clubs across the continent. UEFA has also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting clubs that do not participate in European competitions, ensuring that the financial benefits of these changes are shared across the sport.

The 2024/25 season will mark a significant evolution in European football with the introduction of the Swiss model across UEFA’s major competitions. By increasing the number of teams, providing more varied and competitive matches, and ensuring that every game counts, UEFA aims to keep European football at the forefront of the global game. Fans can look forward to more thrilling matches, while clubs will have more opportunities to test themselves against the best in Europe.