This is the new format of the Champions League.

This is a new first stage

The new champions will have 36 teams (four more than now) and all will be included in one common group.Each team will not meet the remaining 35, they will play only eight games in the first stage, but their results will be taken into account in the overall classification.

The new format will see teams play eight games in the new league stage. They will no longer play three opponents twice (home and away), but They will face eight different teams, half of which will play at home and the other half will play away..

Important news after Thursday’s draw

To determine the eight opponents, the teams will be divided by lot. four drums (distributed according to UEFA ranking, excluding the champion Champions League, which will always be in basket 1). Next, Each team will be paired with two opponents from each of these baskets. based on what the draw on August 29 will determine. Then he will challenge match against a team from each basket at home and one more awayas required by the software. This will be an algorithm that solves the order in which the matches are held and the stadium in which they are held.

Teams from the same country cannot meet each other. at this stage of the league, with the exception of exception. The confrontation could only be between teams from the same country, and it would only affect federations such as the Spanish, English, Italian or German, which have four or more teams presented.

The results of each match will determine the outcome of the match. General classification of the new leagueIn this case, three points are awarded for a win and one for a draw.

“Playoff” before the qualifying rounds

first eight teams will move forward automatically to the 1/8 finalsand the equipment is locatedbetween 9th and 24th places will compete in a two-match qualifying tournament. in which winners qualify to the eighth and 8 The losers will go to the UEFA Europa League. last 12 will be classified eliminated.

In this consolation phase that those who are placed between 9th and 24th places are competing, the teams that finished between 9th and 16th places will be seeded in the draw, which means that They will face a team ranked between 17th and 24th. and they will also play the return match at home. These matches will only be played during the two weeks of February when the competition is held.

The eight clubs that win these qualifying matches will advance to the Round 16where they will face one of the top eight seeded players in the round of 16. Here It is not impossible for two teams from the same country to face each other.

From the 1/8 finals onwards, the competition follows the usual crossover route. and the quarter-final and semi-final matches will be decided within the framework of one draw, which already constitutes the entire draw.

The first and second places in the league stage will not meet again until the hypothetical final.

ANDl increase in the number of matches in the first stage As for the editions known so far, this stage will be extended and they will continue to be contested. games in january. The first day will be exclusive (there will be no Europa League or Conference League matches on these days) and the matches will be played Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayOn the last day of the first stage, called the league stage, all matches will be played simultaneously.