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The National (Scotland)

Sport

Lana Mackay

New Champions League format explained - league phase, AI draw and prize money

UEFA Champions League Celtic SNS Group the Champions League

European club football is undergoing a seismic shake-up in 2024/25, with UEFA launching a new league phase format for the Champions League across all three of its top competitions.

The new league phase format of the competition comes into force this season in what will be the biggest overhaul the tournament has seen since 1992.

The Champions League draw is scheduled to take place at 5pm UK time on Thursday, August 29 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, with technology set to play a major part in determining the fates of Europe’s top clubs.

Celtic are the only Scottish team to have qualified for the competition and are placed in Pot 3.

(Image: SNS Group Craig Williamson)

What is the new Champions League format?

Under the traditional system, the Champions League group stages consisted of 32 teams split into eight groups of 4, with the top two from each group advancing to the last 16.

This is being replaced by a single league table of 36 clubs, giving four more teams the chance to compete, meaning there will be 189 Champions League fixtures instead of the current 125.

The 36 teams are seeded and divided into four pots of nine – Celtic will join Sporting Lisbon, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven in Pot 3.

Each club will be drawn against two opponents - one home, one away - from each of the four pots.

This means teams will face a total of eight different opponents with four home ties and four away ties, meaning we should see more heavyweight clashes earlier in the competition.

Pot 1 features defending champions Real Madrid, alongside Europe's top clubs like Manchester City and Bayern Munich.

How is AI changing the Champions League draw?

The draw also has a new look for the 2024/25 season, with an AI supercomputer set to determine the league phase fixtures for the first time. UEFA has insisted the new system is secure with robust measures in place to protect against cyberattacks.

The software - designed by UK-based IT company AE Live - has been programmed to prevent teams from being drawn against an opponent from the same country and will reduce the timing of the draw to around 35 minutes. If done manually, the draw could take up to four hours.

All 36 teams will first be drawn manually, but the automated software will be used to decide their eight opponents.

Teams can face a maximum of two sides from one nation.

(Image: Craig Foy - SNS Group)

How have the Champions League knockout stages changed?

Teams who finish in the top eight will qualify automatically for the last 16, and those who finish ninth to 24th will enter a two-legged playoff for the remaining places.

These playoff ties will be seeded, with the clubs placing 9th-16th playing the second leg at home against the sides placed 17th-24th.

The bottom 12 teams will be eliminated from the competition and will not enter the Europa League.

From the round of 16 onwards, the Champions League will follow its usual knockout format with the final taking place at the Allianz Arena in Munich on 31 May 2025.

How much Champions League prize money is on offer?

Clubs can expect €1million (£846,000) for reaching the knockout round play-offs, with up to €11million (£9.3million) for advancing to the last 16.

The sum increases to €12.5million (£10.5million) for the quarter-finals and €15million (£12.7million) for reaching the semi-finals.

Each club who progresses to the Champions League final will receive €18.5million (£15.6million) from UEFA.

A more dynamic Champions League?

UEFA believes the competition’s new ‘Swiss model’ will create a more exciting and unpredictable Champions League, offering opportunities for clubs to face a wider range of opponents and giving fans the chance to see Europe’s giants go head-to-head earlier in the tournament.