For lovers of classic football, the Champions League has returned and the expectations are high with the new format of the competition.
How the new Champions League edition will look like
Replacing the old edition where teams entered the group stage phase after qualifying from domestic leagues and preliminary rounds, the new format will use a league-based system.
Participating teams, which has been extended to 36, will play home and away fixtures with eight different teams before qualifying for the next round.
The results of the matches will determine the chances of each team qualifying for the knockout phase of the competition. The top eight teams will automatically book tickets for the round of 16.
The remaining eight slots will be filled by teams who qualify through a two-legged knockout phase play-off. Teams ranked 9th to 25th will partake in this play-off while teams from 26th and below (the 11 bottom-placed teams) will be eliminated from the competition.
Unlike the old format where third–placed finishers drop to the Europa League, the new format has thrashed the arrangement of allowing Champions League drop to the lower tier when not qualifying for the knockout.
Ticket prices for away fans slashed
Notably, this new format promises rollercoaster and thrilling Champions League games. Teams are not only limited to playing three opponents but will face eight different opponents.
The knock-out play-off action extends this depth of variety and interesting fixtures for fans. And that is not all. To cap UEFA’s fans-centred policies in the competition, a slash in the prices of away tickets has been confirmed.
Initially, away fans who wanted to watch Champions League matches had to pay as much as £63.50 ticket fees. Now, it has been pecked down to £50.55. Note that this is only applicable to away fans. Home fans will be expected to maintain the status quo as per the ticket fees for the matches.
Confirming the slash in Champions League ticket prices, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said the decision follows the commitment of the body to enhance the matchday experience of fans with more friendly policies.
“This marks another key step in reaffirming Uefa’s commitment to enhancing the matchday experience for all fans”, the FIFA president said.
“By introducing more fan-friendly policies, we continue our mission to keep football as an inclusive sport, where supporters who travel across Europe to follow their teams are valued and recognized.”
Europa League and UEFA Conference League ticket prices also slashed
It is not only Champions League ticket prices for away fans that have gone down. UEFA has also reduced the same for Europa League and Conference League matches. The new fee for the Europa League is £33.70 and £16.85 for the UEFA Conference League.
Assurances have also been given that the price will be slashed further in the 2025-26 edition of the competitions.
2024-25 Champions League fixtures
The League Phase of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League will kick off on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. It is divided into eight matchdays and will run through Wednesday, January 19, 2024.
The knockout play-offs will start on February 11 to 19, 2025. Dates for the round of 16, quarterfinal, and semifinal fixtures have yet to be decided but the final will be played on May 31, 2025.
See Full Fixtures Below:
League Phase:
Matchday One
Tuesday, 17 September
18:45: BSC Young Boys vs. Aston Villa FC
18:45: Juventus vs. PSV Eindhoven
21:00: AC Milan vs. Liverpool FC
21:00: FC Bayern München vs. GNK Dinamo
21:00: Real Madrid C.F. vs. VfB Stuttgart
21:00: Sporting Clube de Portugal vs. LOSC Lille
Wednesday, 18 September
18:45: AC Sparta Praha vs. FC Salzburg
18:45: Bologna FC 1909 vs. FC Shakhtar Donetsk
21:00: Celtic FC vs. ŠK Slovan Bratislava
21:00: Club Brugge KV vs. Borussia Dortmund
21:00: Manchester City vs. FC Internazionale Milano
21:00: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Girona FC
Thursday, 19 September
18:45: Feyenoord vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen
18:45: FK Crvena Zvezda vs. SL Benfica
21:00: AS Monaco vs. FC Barcelona
21:00: Atalanta BC vs. Arsenal FC
21:00: Atlético de Madrid vs. RB Leipzig
21:00: Stade Brestois 29 vs. SK Sturm Graz
Matchday Two
Tuesday, 1 October
18:45: FC Salzburg vs. Stade Brestois 29
18:45: VfB Stuttgart vs. AC Sparta Praha
21:00: Arsenal FC vs. Paris Saint-Germain
21:00: Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs. AC Milan
21:00: Borussia Dortmund vs. Celtic FC
21:00: FC Barcelona vs. BSC Young Boys
21:00: FC Internazionale Milano vs. FK Crvena Zvezda
21:00: PSV Eindhoven vs. Sporting Clube de Portugal
21:00: ŠK Slovan Bratislava vs. Manchester City
Wednesday, 2 October
18:45: FC Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Atalanta BC
18:45: Girona FC vs. Feyenoord
21:00: Aston Villa FC vs. FC Bayern München
21:00: GNK Dinamo vs. AS Monaco
21:00: Liverpool FC vs. Bologna FC 1909
21:00: LOSC Lille vs. Real Madrid C.F.
21:00: RB Leipzig vs. Juventus
21:00: SK Sturm Graz vs. Club Brugge KV
21:00: SL Benfica vs. Atlético de Madrid
Matchday Three
Tuesday, 22 October
18:45: AC Milan vs. Club Brugge KV
18:45: AS Monaco vs. FK Crvena Zvezda
21:00: Arsenal FC vs. FC Shakhtar Donetsk
21:00: Aston Villa FC vs. Bologna FC 1909
21:00: Girona FC vs. ŠK Slovan Bratislava
21:00: Juventus vs. VfB Stuttgart
21:00: Paris Saint-Germain vs. PSV Eindhoven
21:00: Real Madrid C.F. vs. Borussia Dortmund
21:00: SK Sturm Graz vs. Sporting Clube de Portugal
Wednesday, 23 October
18:45: Atalanta BC vs. Celtic FC
18:45: Stade Brestois 29 vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen
21:00: Atlético de Madrid vs. LOSC Lille
21:00: BSC Young Boys vs. FC Internazionale Milano
21:00: FC Barcelona vs. FC Bayern München
21:00: FC Salzburg vs. GNK Dinamo
21:00: Manchester City vs. AC Sparta Praha
21:00: RB Leipzig vs. Liverpool FC
21:00: SL Benfica vs. Feyenoord
Matchday Four
Tuesday, 5 November
18:45: PSV Eindhoven vs. Girona FC18:45: ŠK Slovan Bratislava vs. GNK Dinamo
21:00: Bologna FC 1909 vs. AS Monaco
21:00: Borussia Dortmund vs. SK Sturm Graz
21:00: Celtic FC vs. RB Leipzig
21:00: Liverpool FC vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen
21:00: LOSC Lille vs. Juventus
21:00: Real Madrid C.F. vs. AC Milan
21:00: Sporting Clube de Portugal vs. Manchester City
Wednesday, 6 November
18:45: Club Brugge KV vs. Aston Villa FC
18:45: FC Shakhtar Donetsk vs. BSC Young Boys
21:00: AC Sparta Praha vs. Stade Brestois 29
21:00: FC Bayern München vs. SL Benfica
21:00: FC Internazionale Milano vs. Arsenal FC
21:00: Feyenoord vs. FC Salzburg
21:00: FK Crvena Zvezda vs. FC Barcelona
21:00: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atlético de Madrid
21:00: VfB Stuttgart vs. Atalanta BC
Matchday Five
Tuesday, 26 November
18:45: AC Sparta Praha vs. Atlético de Madrid
18:45: ŠK Slovan Bratislava vs. AC Milan
21:00: Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs. FC Salzburg
21:00: BSC Young Boys vs. Atalanta BC
21:00: FC Barcelona vs. Stade Brestois 29
21:00: FC Bayern München vs. Paris Saint-Germain
21:00: FC Internazionale Milano vs. RB Leipzig
21:00: Manchester City vs. Feyenoord
21:00: Sporting Clube de Portugal vs. Arsenal FC
Wednesday, 27 November
18:45: FK Crvena Zvezda vs. VfB Stuttgart
18:45: SK Sturm Graz vs. Girona FC
21:00: AS Monaco vs. SL Benfica
21:00: Aston Villa FC vs. Juventus
21:00: Bologna FC 1909 vs. LOSC Lille
21:00: Celtic FC vs. Club Brugge KV
21:00: GNK Dinamo vs. Borussia Dortmund
21:00: Liverpool FC vs. Real Madrid C.F.
21:00: PSV Eindhoven vs. FC Shakhtar Donetsk
Matchday Six
Tuesday, 10 December
18:45: Girona FC vs. Liverpool FC
18:45: GNK Dinamo vs. Celtic FC
21:00: Atalanta BC vs. Real Madrid C.F.
21:00: Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs. FC Internazionale Milano
21:00: Club Brugge KV vs. Sporting Clube de Portugal
21:00: FC Salzburg vs. Paris Saint-Germain
21:00: FC Shakhtar Donetsk vs. FC Bayern München
21:00: RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa FC
21:00: Stade Brestois 29 vs. PSV Eindhoven
Wednesday, 11 December
18:45: Atlético de Madrid vs. ŠK Slovan Bratislava
18:45: LOSC Lille vs. SK Sturm Graz
21:00: AC Milan vs. FK Crvena Zvezda
21:00: Arsenal FC vs. AS Monaco
21:00: Borussia Dortmund vs. FC Barcelona
21:00: Feyenoord vs. AC Sparta Praha
21:00: Juventus vs. Manchester City
21:00: SL Benfica vs. Bologna FC 1909
21:00: VfB Stuttgart vs. BSC Young Boys
Matchday Seven
Tuesday, 21 January
18:45: AS Monaco vs. Aston Villa FC
18:45: Atalanta BC vs. SK Sturm Graz
21:00: Atlético de Madrid vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen
21:00: Bologna FC 1909 vs. Borussia Dortmund
21:00: Club Brugge KV vs. Juventus
21:00: FK Crvena Zvezda vs. PSV Eindhoven
21:00: Liverpool FC vs. LOSC Lille
21:00: ŠK Slovan Bratislava vs. VfB Stuttgart
21:00: SL Benfica vs. FC Barcelona
Wednesday, 22 January
18:45: FC Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Stade Brestois 29
18:45: RB Leipzig vs. Sporting Clube de Portugal
21:00: AC Milan vs. Girona FC
21:00: AC Sparta Praha vs FC Internazionale Milano
21:00: Arsenal FC vs. GNK Dinamo
21:00: Celtic FC vs. BSC Young Boys
21:00: Feyenoord vs. FC Bayern München
21:00: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Manchester City
21:00: Real Madrid C.F. vs. FC Salzburg
Matchday Eight
Wednesday, 29 January
21:00: Aston Villa FC vs. Celtic FC
21:00: Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs. AC Sparta Praha
21:00: Borussia Dortmund vs. FC Shakhtar Donetsk
21:00: BSC Young Boys vs. FK Crvena Zvezda
21:00: FC Barcelona vs. Atalanta BC
21:00: FC Bayern München vs. ŠK Slovan Bratislava
21:00: FC Internazionale Milano vs. AS Monaco
21:00: FC Salzburg vs. Atlético de Madrid
21:00: Girona FC vs. Arsenal FC
21:00: GNK Dinamo vs. AC Milan
21:00: Juventus vs. SL Benfica
21:00: LOSC Lille vs. Feyenoord
21:00: Manchester City vs. Club Brugge KV
21:00: PSV Eindhoven vs. Liverpool FC
21:00: SK Sturm Graz vs. RB Leipzig
21:00: Sporting Clube de Portugal vs. Bologna FC 1909
21:00: Stade Brestois 29 vs. Real Madrid C.F.
21:00: VfB Stuttgart vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Knockout phase:
Knockout-round playoffs: Feb. 11-12 & Feb. 18-19, 2025
Round of 16: TBC
Quarterfinals: TBC
Semifinals: TBC
Final: May 31, 2025
