More Games, Less Drama? Unpacking UEFA’s Champions League Facelift!

Figure 1: Champions League trophy, from BBC

UEFA’s groundbreaking changes to the most prestigious club competition in world football kicked off in 2024/25. However, did such a change improve the competition we all love and treasure, or was it the case of unwanted changes to a system that has worked for years?

UEFA’s Champions League — often described as the promised land of European football — has long stood as the pinnacle of elite competition. Since its inception in 1955, it has tested the mettle of players, teams, and managers striving for greatness, regularly delivering iconic goals, unforgettable clashes, and footballing folklore that spans generations. But as the sport continues to evolve, last year UEFA decided that the tournament must evolve with it. Beginning in the 2024/25 season, the Champions League took on a radical new format: four additional teams, more fixtures, and the end of the traditional group stage. In an era where players face relentless schedules and revenue increasingly drives decision-making at the highest level, UEFA promised more high-stakes matches each year. But at what cost? Was this overhaul in the best interests of the game — or those who profit from it?

What's Changing?

Figure 2: Champions League Table Format, illustrated by ESPN

This 2024/25 season saw the Champions League expand from 32 teams to now having 36 teams. With this increase, UEFA moved away from the group stage system and instead moved to a single league-table format, often referred to as the Swiss system. Each team now plays eight games against eight different opponents split evenly between four home games and four away games. The top eight teams automatically progress to the Round of 16. Clubs finishing between 9th and 24th entered a two-legged playoff round to fight for the remaining eight spots. Meanwhile, those finishing 25th or below were to be eliminated outright — with no second chance via the Europa League.

Why the change?

Figure 3: UEFA Deputy General Secretary, Giorgio Marchetti

So why make a change at all — especially to a format many fans considered iconic? The answer lies in three key motivations: greater revenue, increased inclusivity, and enhanced competition.

First, UEFA faced growing pressure from elite clubs seeking more control, more revenue, and more competitive variety — most notably during the failed European Super League attempt which almost saw the birth of entirely new European competition outside of UEFA. That episode made one thing clear: Europe’s top teams were no longer satisfied with the traditional group stage format. In response, UEFA sought to modernise the competition while keeping it under its governance.

Secondly, inclusivity. UEFA has long positioned itself as a defender of accessible football — evidenced by the creation of the Europa Conference League. Deputy General Secretary Giorgio Marchetti stated, “The clubs wanted this and some even needed this change,” referring to clubs’ desire for fresher, more meaningful matchups. Under the new format, each team now faces eight unique opponents instead of just three, reducing predictability and the “dead rubber” fixtures towards the end of the group stage. And because it’s a single league table, every point and every goal truly matters. That was evident this season when Manchester City, Sporting CP, Club Brugge and Dinamo Zagreb all finished on 11 points — yet Dinamo were eliminated entirely due to having the weakest goal difference.

Finally, there’s the financial incentive. According to ESPN, UEFA expects a “33% rise in revenue from sponsors and broadcasters” thanks to the expanded match calendar. More fixtures mean more airtime — and more opportunities for commercial growth. It’s a move that appeals not only to UEFA’s ambitions but also to the clubs that reap the financial benefits of deeper European runs.

Pros & Cons

From injuries to teams being thrashed, let’s look at some positives and negatives from the inaugural season of UEFA’s new look Champions League.

Pros

Figure 4: Michael Olise celebrating during FC Bayern's 9-2 victory over Dinamo Zagreb

Bigger games earlier in the competition: this season’s Champions League kicked off with a classic European fixture – AC Milan vs Liverpool. A repeat of the infamous 2005 final in Istanbul where Liverpool, against all odds, came back against a star-studded Milan side to lift their fifth Champions League. Twenty years ago, this was a game left for the final, but now? This is the way UEFA look to kick things off in their new format! Beyond that curtain-raiser, fans were treated to mouth-watering fixtures like Arsenal vs Inter Milan, Real Madrid vs AC Milan, Liverpool vs Real Madrid – all before the knockout stages. Football fans worldwide were treated to monumental fixtures from the first matchday onwards, and if this is the standard UEFA are aiming for with the league phase? Sign me up! 

Smaller teams are doing better: With no disrespect to the teams mentioned, in the old group stage format there wasn’t much room for teams that are less likely to progress through the tournament to prove their worth amongst Europe’s elite. However, in this new format we saw the likes of Lille, Aston Villa and Atalanta finish above current Champions League holders Real Madrid! Pair this with blockbuster upsets such as Lille beating Real Madrid 1-0, Sporting CP thrashing Manchester City 4-1 and even Feyenoord beating Bayern Munich 3-0! Again, in the old format, these teams would’ve played each other another time either home or away – a not so appealing proposition for the underdogs. Take Celtic for example, in their entire history they’ve made the Champions League knockout stage only three times, most recently in 2012/13. However, in this first season, they qualified for the knockout playoff round via the league phase. Despite not making it past the playoffs and into the round of 16, Celtic benefitted from extra Champions League games, and the revenue that came with it.

Goals, goals…and did I mention GOALS: According to UEFA, as of April 9th, there have been a whopping 580 goals scored across 179 different games – that’s an average of at least 3 goals per game! This goal tally has already surpassed the ENTIRE tally of last year’s Champions League campaign – the last edition of the old Champions League format. As mentioned earlier, with goal difference more important than ever, teams are eager to not only get three points for the win but also build a strong goal difference. Bayern Munich demonstrated this in their matchup with Dinamo Zagreb, ruthlessly dispatching the Croatian giants 9-2! The German side weren’t the only ones in the league phase aiming for strong goal difference as we saw Dortmund destroy Celtic 7-1, Lille thrash Feyenoord 6-1 and more – UEFA promised us fans more exciting games, and they’ve delivered!

Cons

Figure 5: Bukayo Saka down injured against Real Madrid

Record-breaking injury rates: While the spectacle has certainly delivered, it’s come at a cost. This season has seen several top players sidelined by injuries linked to the increased fixture load and reduced recovery periods. According to the National Library of Medicine, hamstring injuries alone now account for 24% of all injuries in men’s professional football, with an annual increase of 9% in total injury burden. Big names like Jamal Musiala, Éder Militão, and Bukayo Saka have all missed crucial periods of the season due to workload-related setbacks. As the physical demands of the modern game intensify, fans may need to get used to seeing their favourite stars miss more matches — whether in Europe or domestically.

Too much football, not enough focus: One of the most chaotic nights of the season came on January 29th - the final matchday of the league phase. All 36 teams played on the same evening in a footballing frenzy. On paper, it sounded like a dream. But in reality, it overwhelmed even the most devoted fans. With goals flying in across multiple fixtures and little room for narrative focus, some games passed by almost unnoticed. The old group stage format allowed fans to follow stories across a handful of matches each night - the new one demands your attention in every direction at once. Higher quantity doesn't always equal higher quality - and UEFA may need to rethink how it delivers these nights to avoid drowning its audience in its own content.

Overall Verdict

So where does this leave us? Is the new format of the Champions League ultimately a success, or simply a financially driven mistake? Ultimately, I believe the new format sways more towards a resounding success – even though there is room for improvement. Despite the added strains on player fatigue and club calendars, we are seeing the birth of a truly competitive and advantageous elite tournament that benefits both the winners and the participants. Even though the league phase’s final matchday can present issues around logistics and over-saturating the sport, I strongly think it presents a new opportunity for a sporting bonanza! Increased revenue and exposure for smaller clubs emerging “dark horses” adds another layer of intrigue, and for those clubs, the rewards go beyond the pitch. But what does this mean for football? Should UEFA tweak this new format? Definitely – no solution is perfect at first! Is the change worth it? For fans, players and clubs alike, it seems so. The financial benefit mixed with fixtures that will tempt teams to be more open and score more goals, could compel clubs to build bigger and better squads. For spectators, we could see this new edition birth a new style of attacking play within the tournament that could even seep into domestic leagues – football is healing, and UEFA look to be serving the first dose.

Written by Midz MB