In a dramatic overhaul of European football's premier competition, UEFA has confirmed a radical new set of rules for the 2024/25 Champions League season that could see English heavyweights drawn against each other much earlier than ever before.
The traditional group stage format has been completely scrapped, making way for a revolutionary 36-team 'Swiss Model' league. This seismic shift shatters the long-standing protection that previously prevented clubs from the same national association from facing off in the initial group phase.
The End of the Group Stage as We Know It
Gone are the days of the predictable eight groups of four. The new format will see all 36 qualified teams placed into one single league table. Each team will be guaranteed a minimum of eight matches against eight different opponents in this new league phase.
This is where the drama unfolds for Premier League fans. With no seeding pots to keep them apart, the draw could now produce a blockbuster all-English clash right from the start. Imagine the Emirates Stadium hosting Liverpool, or the Etihad welcoming Arsenal—these fixtures are now a genuine possibility in the new league stage.
Who Could Be Affected?
The Premier League's European representatives for the 2024/25 season are set to be:
- Manchester City (as 2023/24 Champions)
- Arsenal
- Liverpool
- Aston Villa (barring a miraculous collapse)
Under the new regulations, any of these four titans could be drawn to play against one another, adding a thrilling and unpredictable new layer of domestic rivalry to the European stage.
How the New 'Swiss Model' Works
The complexity of the new system is designed to create more compelling, high-stakes matches. The 36 teams will be ranked in one table based on their results from these eight games. The top eight sides will automatically advance to the knockout round of 16.
Teams finishing between 9th and 24th will then enter a nail-biting two-legged play-off to secure their place in the last 16. Those who finish 25th or below will be brutally eliminated from European competition altogether.
This new format promises to make every single match count, ensuring a festival of top-tier football from the very first whistle of the campaign.
