2024/25 Champions League: Teams, format, dates, draws, final

This is the 70th season of Europe's elite club competition, the 33rd since it was renamed the UEFA Champions League, and the first under the new format. It kicked off on 9 July 2024 and runs until the final in Munich, Germany on Saturday 31 May 2025.

Please note that dates are subject to change.

What is the new Champions League format?

The biggest change is to the group stage, which will become a single 36-team league phase. Each side faces eight different teams (four at home, four away). The top eight overall advance directly to the round of 16; sides finishing from ninth to 24th will contest the knockout phase play-offs, with the victors going through to the last 16. From then on it is a straight knockout.

Which teams are involved in the 2024/25 Champions League?

Twenty-five teams qualified automatically by virtue of their domestic league placing, with the holders of the Champions League and UEFA Europa League also both guaranteed a spot. Rebalancing was required as those title winners also qualified automatically via their domestic league placing.

Full explainer: Champions League winner rebalancing
Full explainer: Europa League winner rebalancing

Two further places were filled by the European Performance Spots, while the final seven slots were determined via qualifying.

Domestic qualifiers

England: Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa
Spain: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, Atlético de Madrid
Germany: Leverkusen, Stuttgart, Bayern, Leipzig
Italy: Inter, Milan, Juventus, Atalanta
France: Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco, Brest
Netherlands: PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord
Portugal: Sporting CP
Belgium: Club Brugge
Scotland: Celtic
Austria: Sturm Graz

European Performance Spots: Bologna (ITA), Dortmund (GER)
Champions League winner rebalancing: Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
Europa League winner rebalancing: Benfica (POR)

How did 2024/25 Champions League qualifying work?

Fifty-two sides battled it out for the remaining seven league phase spots, culminating in August's play-offs. The stage at which the teams, including 42 domestic champions, entered qualifying was based on their association club coefficient ranking. All ties were played over two legs.

Play-off winners

Crvena Zvezda (SRB) beat Bodø/Glimt 3-2agg
GNK Dinamo (CRO) beat Qarabağ 5-0agg
Lille (FRA) beat Slavia Praha 3-2agg
Salzburg (AUT) beat Dynamo Kyiv 3-1agg
Slovan Bratislava (SVK) beat Midtjylland 4-3agg
Sparta Praha (CZE) beat Malmö 4-0agg
Young Boys (SUI) beat Galatasaray 4-2agg

When were the 2024/25 Champions League qualifiers?

First qualifying round: 9/10 & 16/17 July 2024
Second qualifying round: 23/24 & 30/31 July 2024
Third qualifying round: 6/7 & 13 August 2024
Play-offs: 20/21 & 27/28 August 2024

When are the 2024/25 Champions League league phase matches?

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

When is the 2024/25 Champions League knockout phase?

Knockout phase play-offs: 11/12 & 18/19 February 2025
Round of 16: 4/5 & 11/12 March 2025
Quarter-finals: 8/9 & 15/16 April 2025
Semi-finals: 29/30 April & 6/7 May 2025
Final: 31 May 2025

When are the 2024/25 Champions League draws?

First qualifying round: 18 June 2024
Second qualifying round: 19 June 2024
Third qualifying round: 22 July 2024
Play-offs: 5 August 2024
League phase: 29 August 2024
Knockout phase play-offs: 31 January 2025
Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final: 21 February 2025

FC Bayern via Getty Images

Where is the Champions League final in 2025?

The 2024/25 Champions League season concludes at the Munich Football Arena, the highlight of European football's club calendar returning to the home of German powerhouses Bayern for the first time since 2012.

The 2024/25 winners also gain a place in the league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League, if they have not qualified via their domestic competition.