The Champions League is one of the most prestigious tournaments in world football. Founded in 1992, it is the most important club competition within European soccer and features the champions (and in some cases, the runners-up) of the top-level domestic leagues across Europe. Winning this coveted trophy doesn’t just give you bragging rights over your cross-town rivals, it also cements you as the best team in your country. Johan Cruyff and Lionel Messi are just two of the big names to have lifted this prestigious trophy and it remains the ultimate goal for many clubs across Europe.
Before 2024-25 the Champions League operated in a group stage model in which each side played three opponents home and away for six games, with the top two from each group advancing to the round of 16. That was changed in 2025 and the tournament now operates using a ‘league phase’ in which all 36 teams play eight different opponents – four at home and four away – in a format akin to the Swiss system.
Once the league phase ends, teams are re-ranked and a draw determines their bracket for the knockout stages. From the round of 16, winners are drawn against the eight second-place finishers from each group. The bottom two teams in the table – and those who lose their play-off ties – will drop into the Europa League.
UEFA used to hold draws throughout the knockout stages, but in the new format only one is required for the round of 16 and the final (which remains a two-legged affair with no association draw protection). This method allows a better synergy between the league and knockout phases.