The new Champions League format — what changed in the league phase?
A simple explainer of the expanded format, the number of matches, and how to follow the big clashes on Koora 4 Live.
The group stage is gone. In its place: a single 36-team league table where every club plays eight different opponents — four home, four away.
How qualification works
- Top 8 go straight to the round of 16.
- Places 9–24 enter a two-legged knockout play-off.
- Places 25–36 are eliminated — no parachute into the Europa League.
Why it matters
Every match now carries table weight. A heavy defeat in January can cost a club as much as a loss in May, and seeding deadlines make late surges brutal.
