What is the format of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League?

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Manchester City F.C.

·17. September 2024

What is the format of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League?

All you need to know about the changes to the format of the UEFA Champions League for the 2024/25 season.

City will compete in Europe's elite club competition for the 14th consecutive season this term.

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We will be going for our second trophy after lifting it in 2023 with victory over Inter in Istanbul.

However, this season will be a fresh experience for every team, with the structure of the tournament altering for the new term.

Every season City have competed for the Champions League, the competition has consisted of 32 teams split into groups of four to decide the 16 teams to progress to the knockout stages.

The UEFA Executive Committee have now moved away from that format, with the upcoming year to be the first of the new system.

We answer explain it all below...

League stage

Instead of 32 teams split into eight groups of four, there will now be one league consisting of all 36 teams to reach this stage of the tournament.

Under the new format, teams will play eight matches in the league. They will no longer play three opponents twice – home and away – but will instead face fixtures against eight different teams, playing four matches at home and four away.

To determine the eight different opponents, the teams will initially be ranked in four seeding pots.

We will then face two teams from each pot - one at home and one away.

WATCH: City's dramatic journey to becoming European champions

Progression to knockout stage

Each win in the league will earn you three points with a draw earning the team one point.

The top eight sides in the league will qualify automatically for the round of 16, while the teams finishing in 9th to 24th place will compete in a two-legged knock-out play-off to secure their path to the last 16 of the competition.

Teams that finish 25th or lower will be eliminated, with no access to the Europa League.

From the round of 16 onwards, the competition will continue to follow its existing format of knockout rounds leading to the final staged at a neutral venue.

When is the league stage draw?

The league stage draw for the 2024/25 Champions League will be made on 29 August 2024.

City will discover our eight opponents in the league stage on that day.

As always, we will have full coverage on our official app and mancity.com.

When will matches be played?

The Champions League league stage matches will be played from September to January. Most weeks they will be played on a Tuesday or a Wednesday.

However, there will be one Champions League exclusive week (which will see no Europa League or Conference League fixtures scheduled) that will include Thursday as a matchday.

For the last matchday of the league stage, all 18 matches will be played simultaneously.

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

WATCH: City 1-0 Inter: Official short film