The stage is set for European football's elite as the draw for the revamped 2024/25 UEFA Champions League group stage approaches. This season marks a historic shift with the introduction of a brand-new 'Swiss Model' format, promising more blockbuster matches than ever before.
When and Where is the Draw?
Football fans across the UK can mark their calendars for Thursday, 29th August 2024. The ceremony is scheduled to commence at 5 pm UK time. The glitzy event will be held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, a traditional home for UEFA's showpiece draws.
The New-Look Format: What's Changed?
Gone is the traditional group stage. In its place, a single 36-team league will compete in the new 'Swiss Model'. Each team will play eight matches – four at home and four away – against opponents of varying strength.
The top eight sides will automatically advance to the knockout round of 16. Teams finishing between 9th and 24th will face a two-legged play-off to secure their place in the next round, adding a dramatic new layer of competition.
Who's In Which Pot? The Preliminary Seedings
The draw pots are crucial for determining those eight fixtures. While the final seeding depends on the outcome of the play-off rounds, the preliminary pots are already taking shape based on UEFA coefficients.
Pot 1 is expected to include: Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig.
Other English clubs: Arsenal and Aston Villa are likely to find themselves in Pot 2 and Pot 3 respectively, setting up the potential for some mouth-watering early clashes.
Key Dates for Your Diary
- Matchday 1: 17-19 September 2024
- Matchday 2: 1-2 October 2024
- Matchday 3: 22-23 October 2024
- Matchday 4: 5-6 November 2024
- Matchday 5: 26-27 November 2024
- Matchday 6: 10-11 December 2024
- Matchday 7: 21-22 January 2025
- Matchday 8: 29 January 2025
The road to the final in Munich begins here. Make sure you're tuned in to see who your team will face in this groundbreaking new chapter of the Champions League.
