Champions League 2024/25 league phase draw procedure and live stream
With domestic football now back across Europe, the return of the Champions League is just around the corner.
Since July, teams have been competing to reach the Champions League league phase, beginning with three qualifying rounds before reaching the play-offs.
That has now concluded, with all 36 participants eagerly awaiting the draw as Europe’s premier club tournament enters a new era.
So, who has booked their place in the upcoming draw, and when is it? Read on to find out everything you need to know…
When is the Champions League draw?
The draw for the league phase of the 2024/25 Uefa Champions League will take place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Thursday 29th August 2024. It is scheduled to take place between 5pm and 6pm UK time.
How to watch the Champions League draw online
You can watch the 2024/25 Uefa Champions League draw on this page at 5pm, with the video above. It can also be watched on Uefa’s website.
How will the Champions League draw work?
A new format means changes to how the Champions League draw will be conducted.
Instead of the full draw being completed by hand, automated software will now take up most of the proceedings. A team will be manually drawn from a pot, before the software randomly selects eight opponents for that side.
The draw is still split into four pots, with each team having to play two clubs from each pot — as selected by the software’s draw. The software will also determine which games are played at home and which ones are away. Teams will play one match against an opponent in each pot home, and another away — totalling four each.
Certain draw rules have carried over from the old Champions League group stage format, with teams unable to face other clubs from their own national association. They can also play a maximum of two opponents from any one nation.
What is the new Champions League format?
This year’s Champions League will feature a new format. Instead of 32 teams being divided into eight groups of four, all 36 teams will form a single league. Each team will play four games at home and four away, making eight fixtures – two more than in the previous format. These eight matches will be against eight different opponents. This is known as the ‘Swiss Model’, most commonly used in chess
After the competition’s initial phase, the league’s top eight teams will advance directly to the last 16. Teams ranked ninth to 24th must compete in a play-off round, while teams finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated from all European competition. There is no longer a second chance in dropping down to the Europa League from the Champions League.
Why the change?
The upcoming format change is the most significant in 20 years since the era of two group stages before the knockout rounds. Uefa state that the changes are intended to ensure the bright future of European football at all levels and to accommodate the changing needs of all involved parties.
Furthermore, the new league format will involve more European teams in each competition. It will allow fans to see more top European matches and those that take place earlier in the competition.
Plus, it will create a more balanced competition among all teams, allowing each team to play opponents of similar skill levels throughout the league phase.
Every game is important. The new league format will ensure that any result can significantly affect a team’s position right up to the very last matchday. Winning or losing the last game of the league phase could determine whether a team qualifies automatically for the last 16, enters the play-offs, or gets eliminated from the competition.
Which teams have qualified for the Champions League?
After the qualifying rounds, we now know the 36 teams in the league phase. Brest from Ligue 1 and Girona from La Liga will be making their debuts in European competition. Germany and Italy have earned an extra spot in the competition due to their clubs performing the best in last season’s Uefa competitions.
- Pot 1: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Barcelona
- Pot 2: Bayer Leverkusen, Atlético Madrid, Atalanta, Juventus, Benfica, Arsenal, Club Brugge, Shakhtar Donetsk, AC Milan
- Pot 3: Feyenoord, Sporting CP, PSV Eindhoven, Dinamo Zagreb, Red Bull Salzburg, Lille, Crvena zvezda, Young Boys, Celtic
- Pot 4: Slovan Bratislava, Monaco, Sparta Prague, Aston Villa, Bologna, Girona, VfB Stuttgart, Sturm Graz, Brest
When will the Champions League fixtures be played?
Due to two additional rounds of fixtures, the first phase of the Champions League will now continue into January. The added fixtures and resulting calendar pressure have removed FA Cup replays in England. Below are the matchdays for the league phase:
- Matchday 1: 17-19 September 2024
- Matchday 2: 1/2 October 2024
- Matchday 3: 22/23 October 2024
- Matchday 4: 5/6 November 2024
- Matchday 5: 26/27 November 2024
- Matchday 6: 10/11 December 2024
- Matchday 7: 21/22 January 2025
- Matchday 8: 29 January 2025
Real Madrid played 13 games on their way to last season’s triumph. A club could theoretically play 17 fixtures en route to the trophy if they feature in the play-off round.
