Champions League Format Explained: How the League Phase and Knockouts Work
The Champions League changed more in 2024/25 than at any point since the group stage arrived in 1992. The old eight groups of four are gone. In their place is one 36-team table in which every club plays eight different opponents, followed by a new knockout play-off round before the familiar last 16.
If the new system still confuses you, you are not alone. Here is how each stage works, step by step. You can follow the live standings on our Champions League table and every match on the Champions League fixtures page.
The format at a glance
| Stage | Who plays | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| League phase | 36 clubs | 8 matches each (4 home, 4 away) against 8 different opponents, one single table |
| Knockout phase play-offs | Clubs ranked 9th to 24th | Two legs; 9th–16th are seeded against 17th–24th |
| Round of 16 | Top 8 plus the 8 play-off winners | Two legs |
| Quarter-finals and semi-finals | 8, then 4 clubs | Two legs |
| Final | 2 clubs | One match at a neutral venue, usually late May or early June |
Stage 1: the league phase
All 36 clubs go into four pots of nine, based on UEFA’s club coefficient rankings, with the holders at the top of Pot 1. A computer draw then gives each club two opponents from every pot, one at home and one away. That makes eight matches in total, played between September and late January.
Clubs cannot face opponents from their own country in this phase, and no club can draw more than two teams from the same country. Because everyone plays a different set of opponents, all 36 go into one table ranked by points: three for a win, one for a draw.
What each finishing position means
- 1st to 8th: straight into the round of 16, and seeded for the draw that follows
- 9th to 24th: into the knockout phase play-offs
- 25th to 36th: eliminated from Europe for the season, with no drop into the Europa League
That last point catches a lot of fans out. Under the old format, third place in a group led to the Europa League. Now a poor league phase ends a club’s European season.
Tiebreakers in the league phase
When clubs finish level on points, the table is split by goal difference first, then goals scored, then away goals scored, then wins and away wins. After that, UEFA looks at the combined points of the opponents each club faced, a way of rewarding the harder draw.
Stage 2: the knockout phase play-offs
Sixteen clubs, those ranked 9th to 24th, play two-legged ties in February. The clubs that finished 9th to 16th are seeded, play the second leg at home and face opponents from 17th to 24th. The eight winners join the top eight in the round of 16.
Stage 3: round of 16 to the final
From here it looks like the Champions League most fans grew up with: two-legged knockout ties in the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, then a single final. Away goals no longer count, so level ties go to extra time and then penalties.
The biggest difference is the draw. UEFA now uses a bracket based on league-phase position, so the top two clubs are placed on opposite sides and cannot meet until the final if both keep winning. Finishing high in the table matters long after January.
Old format vs new format
| Until 2023/24 | From 2024/25 | |
|---|---|---|
| Clubs in the main stage | 32 | 36 |
| First-stage matches per club | 6 | 8 |
| Structure | 8 groups of 4 | 1 league table |
| Route to the last 16 | Top 2 in each group | Top 8 directly, 9th–24th via play-offs |
| Drop into the Europa League | 3rd place in group | None |
Why UEFA changed it
UEFA wanted more big matches earlier in the season and fewer dead rubbers in the final round of group games. Under the league format, the eighth matchday is played at the same time for every club, and places from 8th to 24th are often decided in the last minutes. It also gives four more clubs a place, including extra spots for the countries whose clubs performed best in Europe the previous season.
Frequently asked questions
How many games does each team play in the league phase?
Eight: four at home and four away, all against different opponents.
What happens to the team that finishes 25th?
They are out of European competition for that season. There is no transfer into the Europa League.
Do away goals still count?
No. UEFA scrapped the away goals rule in 2021. Level two-legged ties go to extra time and penalties.
Where can I see the current table?
On our live Champions League table, updated through each matchday, with highlights and fan ratings from the big nights on the highlights page. For the full history of past finals, see the Champions League winners list.
Source: UEFA: new format explained. Last checked September 2026.
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