UEFA Champions League 2024/25: New Format and AI-Driven Draw Explained
The Champions League 2024/25 is all set for some groundbreaking change with UEFA ready to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) for the league phase (previously group stage) draw. With the new format raising questions among fans and pundits alike, let’s look at what these changes entail.
Major Format Changes for 2024/25
The most significant change is the complete overhaul of the traditional group stage. Instead of the familiar format where teams play against three opponents both home and away, the upcoming season will feature a single league phase. A total of 36 clubs, up from the previous 32, will participate in this league phase, allowing more teams to compete at Europe’s highest level.
In this new format, each team will play eight matches against eight different opponents. Half of these matches will be played at home, and the other half away. The draw for these matches will be AI-assisted, with teams being placed into four seeding pots. Each club will then face two opponents from each pot. This change aims to provide fans with more exciting and competitive games earlier in the competition and offers clubs the chance to test themselves against a broader range of opponents.
Allocation of the Four Additional Spots
With the expansion to 36 teams, UEFA has also outlined how the four extra spots will be allocated:
Slot One: The first extra spot will go to the club that finishes third in the domestic league of the association ranked fifth in the UEFA association club coefficient.
Slot Two: The second spot will be given to an additional domestic champion by increasing the number of clubs qualifying through the Champions path from four to five.
Slots Three and Four: These will be awarded to the two associations with the best collective performance in the previous season, based on the association club coefficient. Each of these associations will get an extra place for the club that finished just outside the automatic qualification spots in their domestic league.
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Changes to the Knockout Phase
The knockout phase of the Champions League will also see adjustments. The results of the league phase will determine the rankings, with the top eight teams qualifying directly for the round of 16. Teams that finish between 9th and 24th will enter a two-legged play-off to secure the remaining eight spots in the last 16. The teams that finish 25th or lower will be eliminated from the competition and will not have the opportunity to drop into the UEFA Europa League, as was possible under the previous format.
In the knockout phase play-offs, the teams ranked 9th to 16th will be seeded and will face teams ranked 17th to 24th, with the return leg played at home for the seeded teams. The eight winners of these play-offs will then progress to the round of 16, where they will meet the top eight finishers from the league phase. From the round of 16 onwards, the competition will follow its traditional knockout format, with home and away legs leading to a single final at a neutral venue chosen by UEFA.
These changes aim to increase competition and excitement in the UEFA Champions League, allowing for more varied matchups and a more dynamic tournament structure. All matches leading up to the final will continue to be played during midweek to accommodate domestic leagues, while the final will maintain its traditional Saturday slot. The introduction of AI for the draw further modernises the competition, ensuring a balanced and fair distribution of matchups.
