Founded in the 1950s by Gabriel Hanot, editor of French sports newspaper L’Equipe, and Jacques Ferran, the Champions League is the continent’s most esteemed club competition. It offers clubs the chance to shine on a global stage, competing in front of fans from around the world and with the prize money to bring in the best players.
It is a tournament that has changed with the times, adjusting to the demands of football’s biggest names and exponentially increased transfer sums. As a result, the Champions League is now the most lucrative tournament in world football. It is also the most watched competition in Europe.
From 2024, the competition will have 36 teams, the highest number in its history. UEFA has also altered the way teams qualify by increasing the amount of places available to domestic champions.
A new format has been introduced, with a change to the group phase and the introduction of two-legged playoffs through to the semifinals. The final will remain a one-legged affair.
Teams will be divided into eight groups of four and seeded based on their league performance during the qualifying process. The winners and runners-up of each group advance to the next round, whilst the third-placed team enters the UEFA Europa League. During the group stage, teams play each of their opponents twice, home and away, in a round-robin system. If a match finishes level on aggregate, the away-goals rule is applied and the team with more away goals advances.