Since the 2024/25 season, the UEFA Champions League no longer starts with groups of four. All 36 clubs play in one league phase and finish in a single table, and that table decides who goes straight into the last 16, who gets a second chance in a play-off and who is out. Here is how it works, step by step, and what it means when you read the numbers.
Old format vs new format
| Until 2023/24 | From 2024/25 | |
|---|---|---|
| Clubs in the first phase | 32 | 36 |
| Structure | 8 groups of 4 | One league of 36 |
| Matches per club | 6 | 8 |
| Straight into the round of 16 | Top two of each group (16 clubs) | Top eight of the table |
| Second chance | Third in the group dropped into the Europa League | 9th to 24th play the knockout phase play-offs |
| Out | Fourth in the group | 25th to 36th, with no Europa League place |
The league phase: 36 clubs, one table
Each club plays eight matches against eight different opponents. Before the draw, the 36 clubs are split into four seeding pots, and every club is drawn against two opponents from each pot — one at home and one away. So a club from pot 1 still meets two of the strongest sides, and a club from pot 4 also plays two other pot-4 teams.
All the results go into one table of 36. Because clubs play different opponents, two teams on the same points may have had very different schedules. That is the main thing to remember when you read the table: a high position after an easier run of fixtures is worth less than it looks.
What each place in the table means
| Final position | What happens next |
|---|---|
| 1–8 | Straight into the round of 16 |
| 9–16 | Knockout phase play-off, seeded: in principle, second leg at home |
| 17–24 | Knockout phase play-off, unseeded |
| 25–36 | Eliminated, with no place in the Europa League |
Key point: The old route of dropping into the Europa League has gone. Finishing 25th or lower means the club's European season is over.
The knockout phase play-offs
Clubs finishing 9th to 24th play two-legged ties for the eight remaining places in the round of 16. The clubs from 9th to 16th are seeded and face a club from 17th to 24th, with, in principle, the return leg at home. A top-eight finish is therefore worth more than a seeding: it means two fewer matches and no risk of going out in the play-offs.
From the round of 16 to the final
From the round of 16 on, the competition is a classic knockout: two-legged ties up to the semi-finals, then a one-off final at a neutral venue selected by UEFA, played on a Saturday. The away goals rule is no longer used in UEFA club competitions, so level ties go to extra time and, if needed, penalties.
Reading the table like an analyst
- Check the schedule, not just the points. Count how many of a club's opponents came from pots 1 and 2. Two clubs on the same points rarely had the same difficulty.
- Look at the margins around 8th and 24th. These are the two lines that change a club's season: direct qualification, and survival in the competition.
- Use underlying numbers for small samples. Eight matches is a short season. Expected goals for and against tell you more about a club's level than its points after three or four rounds.
Want to see whether a single result was deserved? Try our xG match calculator.
Sources
Premier League and Champions League by the numbers.