Champions League Completes 2024–25 Draw Under New Format

The UEFA Champions League trophy before the draw for the group stage of the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League football tournament, at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Aug. 29, 2024. Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images

Some of the most prestigious clubs in European soccer will clash in the new-look Championship League, which conducted its annual draw on Wednesday in Monaco.

Some of the high-profile matches include Liverpool against the defending champions, Real Madrid, while Barcelona plays German power Bayern Munich for the third time in the past four competitions.

Bayern Munich will also face Aston Villa for the first since the 1982 European Cup final when the English club emerged with a 1–0 victory on a goal by Peter Withe in the 67th minute.

The tournament favorite Manchester City will face a tough challenge from Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, and Inter Milan, among other opponents. Fellow English Premier League club Arsenal will also play Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain as part of its schedule.

The dates and times of the matches will be announced on Saturday. The Champions League final is scheduled for May 31, 2025, at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena.

Under the new format, the Champions League increased the number of teams participating from 32 to 36. Teams will play eight matches in the new league phase—previously called the group stage—instead of six. The qualifying squads will no longer play three opponents twice—home and away—but will instead face fixtures against eight different teams, playing half of those matches at home and half away.

The teams will initially be ranked in four seeding pots to determine the eight opponents. Each team will then be drawn to play two opponents from each of the four pots, playing one match against a team from each pot at home and one away.

Overall, 189 Champions League matches will be in the main competition, an increase from 125 in previous years.

Teams cannot face opponents from their own country and can only be drawn against two squads from the same nation.

At the ceremony, Gigi Buffon received the UEFA President’s Award from UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin. Buffon, a former Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper, won the World Cup with Italy in 2006 but never captured a Champions League title.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who was awarded the All-Time Goalscorer Award in the UEFA Champions League (L), and Italy's former goalkeeper Gigi Buffon, who was awarded the 2024 UEFA President's Award, are on stage during the ceremony of the draw for the group stage of the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League football tournament, at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Aug. 29, 2024. Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images

In addition, Cristiano Ronaldo was honored with a soccer ball trophy as the top scorer in the Champions League’s history. Over his 23-year career, Ronaldo has scored 140 Champions League goals in 183 appearances for four teams: Sporting Clube de Portugal, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. Ronaldo has finished seven separate Champions League seasons as the leading scorer—more than any other player in the competition.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the brightest stars in the UEFA Champions League constellation,” Ceferin said in a statement. “His extraordinary goalscoring achievements in the competition seem destined to stand the test of time, posing a remarkable challenge for future generations to surpass.”

Ceferin continued, “His professionalism, work ethic, dedication and ability to shine on the grandest stage are qualities that football players everywhere should aspire to emulate.”