Liverpool’s qualification for next season’s Champions League marks a significant achievement for the club and their incoming manager, as it will be their first appearance in the competition since the 2014/15 season. However, fans should be prepared for some changes to the format of the tournament.
Starting from the 2024/25 season, the number of clubs participating in the “league phase” (formerly known as the group stage) will increase from 32 to 36. Each team will play eight games in this initial stage. The teams will be divided into four seeding pots, with each club facing two opponents from each pot. This will create four groups of nine teams. The seeding for these pots will be based on a club’s UEFA coefficient, which takes into account their performance in European competitions.
The teams will then be ranked in one table to determine who progresses to the knockout stages. Half of the games will be played at home and the other half away, with no repeat fixtures. The final standings in the league phase will determine which eight teams automatically qualify for the round of 16.
Teams finishing 9th to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout phase play-off to secure a place in the last 16. This means that teams finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated without dropping down into the Europa League, as has been the case in previous seasons. In the playoffs, teams finishing between 9th and 16th will be seeded and will face a team placed 17th to 24th, with the return leg at home. The winners of these playoffs will then face one of the top-eight finishers from the league phase in the last 16.
From the round of 16 onwards, the competition will revert to its existing format up to and including the final. However, with the increase in the number of games, a team could potentially play up to 17 games on their way to the final, compared to the current maximum of 13 games.
Fans should also take note of the key dates for next season’s Champions League. The league draw will take place on August 29, with matchdays scheduled for September 17-19, October 1/2, October 22/23, November 5/6, November 26/27, December 10/11, January 21/22, and January 29. The play-off draw will be held on January 31, followed by the knockout play-offs on February 11/12 and 18/19. The last 16, quarter-final, and semi-final draws will take place on February 21, with matches scheduled for March 4/5 and 11/12 (last 16), April 8/9 and 15/16 (quarter-final), and April 29/30 and May 6/7 (semi-final). The final will be held on May 31 in Munich.
These changes to the Champions League format aim to increase the number of competitive games early in the tournament. While it may take some time for fans to adjust to the new structure, it presents an exciting opportunity for Liverpool and other clubs to showcase their talent on Europe’s biggest stage.