The new-look Champions League draw for the 2024/2025 season will take place on Thursday, August 28th at 17:00 BST. This year, there will be some significant changes to the format of the competition. Instead of the traditional eight four-team groups, all 36 teams will be placed in one league phase. This means that teams will face two clubs from each pot, one at home and one away.
The draw will be conducted by placing teams into four pots based on their seeding. The teams will then be drawn out of the pots, and Uefa’s software will determine their eight opponents and whether they will play at home or away. The new format will result in more matches between the biggest teams in Europe, such as Manchester City potentially facing Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona.
To ensure fairness, the software will prevent teams from playing against rivals from their own country. Additionally, each team can only face a maximum of two clubs from any one country. Uefa’s computer system plans ahead to avoid any future draws that would result in teams facing opponents they cannot play.
The new format will also increase the number of matches from 125 to 189, with each team playing a minimum of eight and a maximum of 17. The league phase will now run until the end of January instead of ending before Christmas. This will provide more opportunities for teams to compete and showcase their abilities.
For fans who want to watch the Champions League draw, it will be available to stream live on the BBC Sport website. The BBC will also provide analysis and highlights on their iPlayer platform and the BBC Sport website and app. There will be a highlights show on BBC One every Wednesday, as well as clips online and on social media. Live text commentary and radio coverage will be available for all matchweeks on the BBC Sport website.
In terms of the competition itself, the top eight teams will automatically qualify for the last 16. Teams that finish between ninth and 24th place will compete in a two-legged knockout play-off for a chance to join them. However, teams that finish 25th or lower will be eliminated and will not be entered into the Europa League.
The Champions League group phase will begin in September and run until December, 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 knockout stage will then commence in February, with the play-offs taking place on February 11-12 and 18-19. The round of 16 will be held on March 4-5 and 11-12, followed by the quarter-finals on April 8-9 and 15-16. The semi-finals are scheduled for April 29-30 and May 6-7, with the final set to take place on May 31 in Munich.
Overall, the new-look Champions League format aims to provide more exciting matches between top teams and increase the number of games for each club. It will also offer fans more opportunities to watch their favorite teams in action, with extensive coverage available on the BBC’s platforms. The changes will undoubtedly add a new level of excitement and anticipation to the competition, making it even more thrilling for football fans around the world.