It wasn’t long ago that Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund to secure their 15th UEFA Champions League title.
Armed with star striker Kylian Mbappé, who joined on a free transfer from French club Paris Saint-Germain, the Spanish giants are now in a good position to aim for their 16th triumph.
However, some new hurdles must be overcome as the format of this year’s competition is different.
What you should know about the 2024-25 Champions League:
What is the new format of the Champions League?
The new format will no longer divide the 32 teams into groups of four, with each team playing six games – one at home against an opponent and one away – with the top two teams advancing to the knockout rounds.
Instead, 36 teams will play eight games each in a league style. Teams will now play eight different teams, with four of those games being home and four away. The draw for these games will be based on the seeding pots from the recently concluded season.
From there, the top eight teams with the most points automatically qualify for the round of 16. Teams ranked ninth to 24th compete for a place in home and away knockout rounds, while all teams ranked 25th or lower are eliminated. No team is relegated to the Europa League.
The knockout rounds are the same as in previous years.
How many teams are there in the Champions League?
The new format will see 36 teams participating, four more than in previous competitions.
These include Real Madrid and Barcelona from La Liga, Manchester City and Arsenal from the Premier League, Inter and Milan from Serie A and Bayern Munich and Leverkusen from the Bundesliga.
The full list can be viewed here as more teams can secure their tickets in the qualifying rounds.
When is the Champions League draw?
The draw for the new format is scheduled for Thursday, August 29th.
When will the Champions League draw take place?
The drawing is expected to begin at 12 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT).
How to follow the Champions League draw
Viewers in the US can watch the draw on Paramount+.
When will the 2024-25 Champions League matches take place?
Here are the dates for the league and knockout games:
- Matchday 1: 17-19 September
- Matchday 2: 1-2 October
- Matchday 3: 22-23 October
- Matchday 4: 5-6 November
- Matchday 5: 26-27 November
- Matchday 6: 10-11 December
- Matchday 7: 21-22 January 2025
- Matchday 8: 29 January 2025
- Draw of the knockout playoffs: 31 January 2025
- Playoffs in the knockout round: 11-12 and 18-19 February 2025
- Draw for the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals: 21 February 2025
When and where will the 2025 Champions League final take place?
The final is scheduled for Saturday, May 31, 2025 in Munich.
