How the Champions League works: the new format explained

Europe's elite club competition looks very different from the old eight-groups-of-four. The Champions League now runs on a single league phase, and here's exactly how a club gets from the first whistle to the final.

36 teams, one big table

The competition expanded from 32 to 36 teams. Instead of separate mini-groups, every club sits in one combined league table.

The league phase: eight games

Each team plays eight matches — four at home, four away — against eight different opponents. The opponents are drawn from four seeding pots, so every club faces two teams from each pot, mixing giants and underdogs. Crucially, you do not play the same team twice.

All results feed into the single 36-team table.

How you qualify from the league phase

When the eight games are done, the table decides everything:

• 1st–8th go straight through to the Round of 16.
• 9th–24th enter a two-legged knockout play-off to claim the remaining eight Round-of-16 places.
• 25th–36th are eliminated — there's no longer a drop into the Europa League.

So finishing in the top eight earns a valuable rest while everyone else fights through an extra round.

The knockout rounds

From the Round of 16 onward it's the familiar two-legged knockout: Round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals over home and away legs, then a single-match final at a neutral venue. Away goals no longer count — if a tie is level after both legs, it goes to extra time and, if needed, penalties.

Why UEFA changed it

The aim was more big games earlier: a varied eight-match schedule means more meetings between top clubs in the opening phase, fewer dead rubbers, and a league table that keeps stakes high to the final round. For fans it means almost every matchday matters.

Follow the latest Champions League fixtures, results and tables in our tournaments section when the competition is in season.

FAQ

How many Champions League teams does each country get?

It depends on UEFA's ranking of each league: the strongest countries send four teams directly, with fewer places down the ladder. Two extra "European performance spots" also go each season to the two associations whose clubs performed best in Europe the previous year, giving them a fifth entrant.

Do away goals still count in the Champions League?

No — UEFA abolished the away-goals rule in 2021. If a two-legged knockout tie finishes level on aggregate, it goes to 30 minutes of extra time and then a penalty shootout, regardless of where each team scored its goals.

What happens if teams finish level in the league-phase table?

Tied teams are separated by goal difference first, then goals scored, then away goals scored, followed by further criteria such as wins and away wins. Because all 36 teams play different opponents, head-to-head records generally can't be used the way they are in a normal league.

Does the Champions League winner qualify for next season automatically?

Yes — the titleholder receives an automatic place in the following season's league phase, even if it finishes outside the qualifying spots domestically. The same principle applies to the Europa League winner, who is promoted into the Champions League.

Is there still a group stage in the Champions League?

Not in the old sense. The eight groups of four were replaced by a single 36-team league phase in 2024-25, with each club playing eight different opponents and every result feeding one combined table. The knockout rounds from the Round of 16 onward still work as before.