Champions League league phase and knockout play-offs explained
The top eight advance directly to the last 16 while clubs ranked ninth to 24th enter a two-legged play-off round.
The 2024-25 UEFA Champions League league phase ran from 17 September 2024 to 29 January 2025 with 36 teams competing for 24 knockout places. The top eight qualify for the round of 16, ninth to 24th enter the play-offs, and 25th to 36th are eliminated.
Key takeaways
- 36 teams competed in the 2024-25 league phase
- 24 places were decided for the knockout phase
- Top eight teams qualify directly for the round of 16
- Clubs ranked ninth to 24th enter the knockout phase play-offs
- Teams ranked 25th to 36th are eliminated
The 2024–25 UEFA Champions League league phase began on 17 September 2024 and ended on 29 January 2025. A total of 36 teams competed in the league phase to decide the 24 places in the knockout phase of the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League.
The UEFA Champions League is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations and is contested by top-division European clubs. It is the most prestigious club competition in European football and is played by the national league champions of their national associations. The competition begins with a round robin league phase to qualify for the two-legged knockout rounds and the single-leg final.
The top eight teams in the league phase qualify directly for the round of 16. Clubs finishing ninth to 24th must first compete in the knockout phase play-offs, while teams ranked 25th to 36th are eliminated.
The knockout phase play-offs involve the clubs finishing ninth to 24th in the league phase. The 16 teams are divided into four seeded pairs and four unseeded pairs based on their positions at the end of the league phase.
Ties take place over two legs and the seeded team will, in principle, play the return leg at home. Each club will, in principle, play once on a Tuesday and once on a Wednesday. First legs are scheduled for 17 and 18 February 2026. Second legs are scheduled for 24 and 25 February 2026.
The first four stages use two-legged ties under the normal competition format. The final is played as a single match. If the final is level, extra time is played followed by penalties if required. The overall journey reduces 24 remaining clubs to one European champion through the knockout phase play-offs, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final.
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