New format in the Champions League: What fans can expect
UEFA has conducted the draw for the new league phase of the Champions League for the 2024/25 season. This year, there is a significant change: instead of the familiar group stage, all 36 participating teams will compete against each other in one single large table. This new format is intended to create more excitement and more frequent duels between Europe's top clubs.
For Austrian football fans, the tournament is particularly interesting, as SK Sturm Graz has qualified directly for the competition as Austrian champions. In the new league phase, the Graz team will face renowned opponents such as Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta Bergamo, and Sporting Lisbon. These matches offer the Austrian players the opportunity to prove themselves on the biggest stage of European football.
The new format means that each team will play a total of eight matches against eight different opponents – four of which will take place in their own stadium and four away. At the end of the league phase, the top eight teams will advance directly to the round of 16. The teams placed 9th to 24th will play in an additional knockout round to qualify for the next phase.
UEFA expects this reform to make the competition more attractive for spectators. However, critics point to the high physical burden on the players, as the number of matches has increased compared to previous years. Nevertheless, many fans are looking forward with excitement to the start of the competition in September, which marks the beginning of a new era in European club football.