In case you haven’t heard, UEFA has made massive changes to the Champions League. They have seen the end of the group stage as we know it, as well as the introduction of four extra teams to the league phase that replaces it.
It is the biggest shake-up to the format of the competition since the discontinuation of the second group stage, which was last used in 2002/03. Therefore, it may be overdue a change – not that there was anything necessarily wrong with the outgoing format.
Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa are all involved as 36 teams do battle in the new-look final tournament. It means more games, more different opponents, and UEFA hopes there will be more drama to go along with it. But will it live up to the billing?
Here is Football FanCast’s rundown of how it’ll work and what you can expect to change when the new format comes into effect.
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ByRobin MumfordMay 14, 2025