For over seven decades, the best clubs in Europe have battled on the club game’s grandest stage. Real Madrid is the all-time winner with 15 titles, but this tournament also consecrates legendary teams that defy logic and overcome the odds.
The Champions League has been reshaped this season with a new format for the league phase and a revamped knockout structure. The new format will increase the synergy between the league and knockout phases by linking the pairings in the latter to the rankings from the former, while ensuring that every team plays its best football throughout the season.
The tournament has also been made more accessible for fans outside of Europe, and UEFA believes it now offers the greatest possible entertainment value to the world’s soccer-loving public. The broadcast rights are sold in more than 180 countries around the globe, with a unique mix of live games on traditional television, streaming platforms and over-the-top (OTT) services.
The top-seeded team in each group will play three matches against the other teams in its group. The top two finishers advance to the knockout phase, where they will be paired against the other group winners or runners-up in a two-legged match. In the quarterfinals, semifinalists and final, teams face each other at a neutral venue chosen by UEFA. The teams are ranked according to the number of points scored over two legs. Two points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss.
