UEFA Champions League

The UEFA Champions League, known as "UEFA Champions League," is the most important annual football tournament organized by the European Football Association. The tournament was established in 1955 under the name "European Cup" and changed its name to "UEFA Champions League" in the 1992-1993 season when the group stage was introduced. Clubs qualify for the tournament based on their performance in their domestic league competitions in the previous season. Teams compete in the group stage and then progress to the knockout stages, culminating in the final, which is held in a different European city each year. Real Madrid is the most successful club in the history of the tournament, having won the title 14 times. The competition enjoys massive global viewership, with matches broadcast in most countries around the world, making it a global sporting event that attracts the attention of football fans and provides a platform for the best clubs and players to compete at the highest level.

Championship system

• UEFA has adopted a new system for the Champions League starting from the 2024/2025 season, which will continue into the 2025/2026 season. The traditional group stage has been replaced by a league format (Swiss Model), making the competition more competitive and increasing the number of matches and opportunities for each club. In this system, 36 teams participate instead of 32, and all teams compete in a single league rather than being divided into groups. Each team plays 8 matches in this stage, 4 at home and 4 away, with opponents selected according to a ranking and seeding system that ensures fair competition among the clubs.
• After this stage, the teams are ranked from 1st to 36th based on points. The top 8 teams qualify directly for the Round of 16 without playing any additional matches, giving the leading and high-performing clubs a better chance to continue without risk. Teams ranked 9th to 24th enter the play-off round, playing home-and-away matches to determine 8 additional teams that will join the Round of 16. Teams ranked 25th and below are eliminated from the European competition entirely.
• Once the sixteen teams are determined, the tournament continues in its usual knockout format, starting with the Round of 16, followed by the quarter-finals and semi-finals, all played over two legs (home and away), leading up to the final, which is held at a pre-selected neutral stadium. This new system is expected to make the competition more intense, due to the increased number of major matches in the first stage and giving mid-level teams an additional chance to qualify through the play-offs, while maintaining the excitement of the traditional knockout rounds.

Qualification for the tournament

• The major leaguesClubs in Europe can qualify for the UEFA Champions League either through direct qualification or through the qualifiers. Directly qualified teams include the champions of the major leagues, such as the English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, and Ligue 1.
• UEFA Champions League for the championsStarting from the 1992-1993 season, teams from certain countries, such as France, Germany, and Spain, are allowed to qualify through the top positions in their leagues, while the remaining spots are filled through the qualifiers.
• The remaining spotsSome European countries allow teams that finish in third or fourth place in the major leagues to have the opportunity to qualify through the qualifiers.

Prize Money

The UEFA Champions League offers substantial financial rewards to participating clubs based on their performance in the tournament. These prizes are distributed according to the stage teams reach and the number of matches played in the competition. In addition to the financial rewards for advancing stages, clubs also receive money based on television broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and marketing.

• Winning the tournamentThe team that wins the final receives a substantial financial reward, which helps fund the club for the upcoming season.

The historical champions of the tournament

• Real MadridReal Madrid of Spain is the most successful team in the UEFA Champions League, having won the title 15 times as of 2024, including numerous victories in recent years.
• MilanAC Milan is in second place with 7 titles
• LiverpoolThe historic English team, Liverpool, has won the UEFA Champions League 6 times, with their most recent victory in 2019.
• Bayern MunichThe German team most dominant in the tournament in the last decade, Bayern Munich, has won the UEFA Champions League 6 times.

Qualification for the FIFA Club World Cup

The team that wins the UEFA Champions League automatically qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup, which is organized under FIFA's supervision. In this competition, the champions from various continental tournaments face off in a global contest to determine the world club champion.

Refereeing and technologies

• Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technologyRecently, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology was introduced in the tournament, starting in 2018, to assist referees in making correct decisions, especially in controversial situations such as offside and disputed goals.
• High-level refereesUEFA relies on a team of the most skilled referees in the world to officiate the matches of the tournament.