The Inaugural 36 teams single league phase draws for the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League comes up tonight – Thursday 29th and Friday 30th August, 2024 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco under a new reforms announced by the UEFA Executive Committee which was a departure from the current group stage system.
This will be the 70th Season of Europe’s elite club competition and the 33rd since it was renamed the UEFA Champions League, as well as the first under the new format that earlier kicked – off on the 9th July 2024 and will run until the final that will be held on Saturday 31st May, 2024.
Under the new format as approved by UEFA from the 2024/ 2025 Season, 36 instead of 32 Clubs in the old format will participate in the Champions League Phase ( Former group stage), giving four more sides the opportunities to compete against the best clubs in Europe.
The 36 Clubs will participate in a single league competition in which the the 36 competing clubs are ranked together.
Under the new format, teams will play eight matches, they will no longer play three opponents twice which was formerly on home and away basis, but will instead play against eight different teams, playing four matches at home and four away matches, to determine eight different opponents, the teams will initially be ranked in four seeding pots.
Each team will then be drawn to play two opponents from each of this pots, playing one match against a team from each pot at home and one away. The top eight clubs in the league will qualify automatically for the round of 16, while the teams that finish in the 9th to 24th place will compete in a two legged knock – out phase play – offs for their qualifications into the last 16 of the competition. Teams that finished 25th or above will be eliminated with no access to the UEFA Europa League.
In the knockout phase, the teams that finished 9th and 16th will be seeded in the knockout phase play – off draw, meaning they will face a team that placed 17th to 24th. The eight teams that prevailed in the knockout phase play – offs will then progressed to the round of 16, where they will each face one of the top eight finishers, who will be seeded in the round of 16.
From the round of 16 onwards, the Competition will continue to follow its existing format of knockout rounds leading to the final stage of the competition at a neutral venue selected by UEFA.
Under the new format, the Champions League and Europa League will be played between September and January, while UEFA Conference League matches will be played between September and December.
All the Champions League matches will still be played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while Europa League and UEFA Conference League retained Thursdays match day, recognising the importance of the domestic Calendar of games across Europe, while the final will continue to be played on Saturday. The 2024/ 2025 UEFA Champions League Finals will be at the Munich Football Arena, Munchen, Germany for the first time since 2012.
Similar format changes will also applied to UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League which will also be on a Single League Phase.
For their numerous contributions and outstanding performances to the development of football across the globe. The 2024 UEFA President’s Award will be presented to former Italy’s goalkeeper, Gianlugi Buffon by the UEFA President Aleksandra Ceferin during the Champions League draw ceremony. Portuguese Super Stars, Cristiano Ronaldo, the all – time leading goalscorer in the UEFA Champions League will be honoured with a Special Award from the UEFA President Aleksandra Ceferin in recognition of the former FC porto, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus Playmaker remarkable legacy in the World’s most prestigious competition.
