What is the new Champions League format for the 2024-25 season? All the changes explained including more teams, 'league stage', 'Swiss system' and 'tennis-style' computerised draw

The Champions League as we know it is nearing to the end. Once the final whistle is blown in Wembley on Saturday, June 1 for the 2023-24 Champions League final, the competition will undergo a huge format revamp.

UEFA approved plans back in April 2021 that would see not only the format of Europe's elite club competition altered, but would also see the number of teams taking part increased and see the competition adopt a 'tennis-style' seeding for the knockout stages.

Premier League clubs could also be set to benefit from the expanded set up following confirmation that up to five teams would be able to qualify for the competition through their league position.

For that to happen, English clubs competing across all UEFA competitions would have to go deep into their respective European competitions.

So what exactly does it mean for the Champions League to now be a 'Swiss-style  league' and what can we expect in the future? Mail Sport has all the details of the future of the competition.

The Champions League will be expanded from 32 teams to 36 for the 2024-25 season

Next years competition will follow a completely new format which will see the group stage adopt a new league style for qualification

How will qualification work?

Despite some major overhauls to how the Champions League group stage will work, the changes to the qualification processes are very minor with four more places on offer.

They will remain open and earned through a team's performance in their own domestic leagues and cup competitions.

One of the additional places will go to the club who finish third in the league ranked fifth by UEFA's coefficient. With another being awarded to a domestic champion, increasing the clubs' qualifying through the 'Champions Path' from four to five.

The final two places will be awarded to the two league's who finish in the top two of the 2023-24 coefficients.

That is where a Premier League club could benefit should the English clubs perform well across Europe this season.

Spain could also be set to benefit from the change as they currently sit second in the coefficient rankings. As things stand currently Italy will gain the extra European position.

The two leagues with the top coefficients will earn another Champions League place

What is the new Champions League format?

For those that qualify for the group stage, an entirely new format will be awaiting them.

Instead of eight groups consisting of four teams, there will now be one league containing all 36 teams.

Each team will play 10 different teams across their games with five being at home and the other five being away.

From there the top eight sides will automatically qualify for the round of 16 knockout stage.

Each team will now play 10 games in the group stage, five at home and five away

The teams finishing ninth to 24th will then compete in a two-legged play-off to secure their path to the last 16.

How will the knockout stages draw work?

With the current format teams are drawn manually from seeded pots for the knockout stage fixtures, but UEFA's deputy general secretary Giorgio Marchetti admitted it would not be possible for the draw to remain fully manual, stating that if they were to do so, the Champions League draw alone could last 'three or four hours' and feature around 900 balls if it continued as it is now.

The precise format for the draw - which is like the tennis-style seeding system - is still in the final development phase but UEFA have said it would be a 'hybrid' event involving some manual drawing of balls and some automation.

UEFA said any automated elements would continue to be independently audited to avoid any accusations of the draw being rigged.

Next years Champions League draw will introduce a tennis-style seeding system from the last 16 onwards

Teams from the same country will be kept apart until the new knockout round play-off, other than in very exceptional circumstances, with the new round to be contested by the teams finishing ninth to 24th in the league phase.

UEFA is then introducing the tennis-style seeding system from the last 16 onwards, so that the clubs finishing first and second in the league phase are kept in separate halves of the draw and cannot meet until the final.

It will mean that the top four seeds - which are based on where clubs finish in the new league table format - cannot meet each other before the semi-finals, giving clubs the incentive to finish as high as possible.

Why have the changes been made?

According to a statement on the UEFA website the changes are 'designed to secure the positive future of European football at every level and meet the evolving needs of all its stakeholders.

'Unequivocally confirming joint commitment to the principle of open competition and sporting merit across the continent, the common purpose has also been to sustain domestic leagues.'

Aleksandar Ceferin has said the new format supports the future of domestic and European football

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin added 'This new format supports the status and future of the domestic game throughout Europe as well. 

'It retains the principle that domestic performance should be the key to qualification and reconfirms the principles of solidarity right through the game and of open competition.

'The evolved format will still keep alive the dream of any team in Europe to participate in the UEFA Champions League thanks to results obtained on the pitch and it will enable long-term viability, prosperity and growth for everyone in European football.'