Daily Junction.mobi portalIf Manchester City wins the Champions League and finishes 1st in the league phase:
Total: €202 million (approximately £170 million)
This is significantly more than the old format, where the maximum a club could earn was around €130 million.
The first season under the new format kicked off in September 2024. Early observations include:
The league phase has produced more high-profile matches than the old group stage. In the first round of fixtures (September 2024), there were:
Several managers have complained about the increased fixture load. Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) said in September 2024: "We are going to kill the players. It is too much. We need to protect them, but nobody listens."
Many fans have struggled to understand the new format, particularly the knockout playoff seeding and the pre-determined bracket. UEFA has launched an education campaign to explain the changes, but surveys suggest only 40% of fans fully understand the new system, according to a poll by The Athletic in August 2024.
The new format is guaranteed to run until 2027, when the current TV rights cycle ends. After that, UEFA will review the format based on:
There is speculation that UEFA could make further changes, such as:
However, any changes will depend on the commercial success of the current format and the political balance between UEFA, big clubs, and domestic leagues.
The 2024-25 Champions League expanded from 32 to 36 teams and replaced the group stage with a single league phase where each team plays 8 matches against different opponents. The top 8 teams in the league table qualify directly for the round of 16, while teams ranked 9-24 enter a knockout playoff round. The new format adds 64 extra matches (from 125 to 189 total), generating an estimated €3.5 billion in additional revenue over the cycle. UEFA introduced the changes to compete with the failed European Super League proposal and increase commercial value.
Critics argue the format favours big clubs, reduces jeopardy, and creates fixture congestion that harms player welfare and domestic competitions. The new format guarantees more matches for elite clubs and reduces the risk of early elimination, making it more commercially attractive to broadcasters and sponsors. However, it has been criticised for being too complex, reducing competitive balance, and prioritising commercial interests over fan experience. The first season (2024-25) has produced more high-profile matches but also raised concerns about player welfare and fixture congestion. The format is guaranteed to run until 2027, after which UEFA will review its success and consider further changes.