Champions League Football Kicks Off Today with New Format: More Teams, Matches & Prize

The world’s largest football league, the UEFA Champions League, is starting on Tuesday. After more than six years of planning, failed proposals, and the failure to launch the Super League, the Champions League will now showcase action in a new format.

In six years, leading clubs have pressured the league’s organizer, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), to make changes, which caused significant upheaval in European football. As a result, the clubs got everything they wanted, such as more teams, more matches, more money, and stronger competition.

More Teams and Matches: From 32 to 36 Teams with 189 Matches

Instead of 32 teams, 36 teams will now participate, playing 189 matches. Until last season, only 125 matches were played. Each team will now play 8 matches instead of 6, and against 8 opponents instead of 3. Europe will crown its new club champion on May 31 next year at Munich’s Allianz Arena.

25% Increase in Prize Money: Winner to Receive Over ₹1,500 Crore

UEFA has allocated a prize pool of $2.8 billion (approximately ₹23,500 crore) for 36 clubs, a 25% increase from the previous season. The winner is expected to receive over $177 million (approximately ₹1,490 crore).

Each team will receive approximately ₹172 crore just for participating. For each victory in the league stage, ₹19 crore will be awarded, and ₹6.5 crore for each draw. If a team advances through every knockout round, they will earn an additional bonus of ₹100 crore. An additional prize pool of nearly ₹8,000 crore is based on teams’ historical records and national and global broadcasting deals.

Top 8 Teams to Qualify Directly for Pre-Quarterfinals

All 36 teams have been ranked from top to bottom in a single league standing, which will conclude in January. Previously, the group round matches ended in December. The league round, lasting until January, is quite straightforward. Each team will play 8 matches, 4 at home and 4 away. Teams will earn three points for a win and one point for a draw. Advancing to the knockout round is a bit more complicated.

According to UEFA, teams need a minimum of 8 points to remain in the knockout race. The top 8 teams on January 29 will qualify directly for the pre-quarterfinals, seeded from 1 to 8. Teams ranked 9th to 24th will enter the knockout playoff round in February. Teams ranked 9th to 16th will be seeded, while teams ranked 17th to 24th will remain unseeded. The bottom 12 teams will be eliminated.

Kylian Mbappé in Search of His First Title with a Third Club

On Tuesday’s opening night, major stars will take the field. France’s Kylian Mbappé will be playing with his third club as record 15-time champions Real Madrid host VfB Stuttgart.

In 2017, Mbappé reached the semifinals with Monaco and was a runner-up with PSG in 2020 when PSG lost the final to Bayern Munich. This means Mbappé is in search of his first title with a third club.

Aston Villa Returns to the League After 41 Years, Brest Participates for the First Time

Several clubs are making a comeback in Europe’s prestigious football tournament, while some are participating for the first time. English club Aston Villa returns to the league after 41 years. Aston Villa won the European Cup in 1981. They will host Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Celtic.

German club VfB Stuttgart is playing in the league for the first time since 2010. The team will face Real Madrid, Juventus, and PSG. Italian club Bologna is returning to the tournament for the first time since the 1964 European Cup. Spanish club Verona and French club Brest are participating in the league for the first time.

Inter Milan is the Oldest Team and Salzburg the Youngest

Among the 36 teams in the Champions League, Inter Milan is the oldest team, and Red Bull Salzburg is the youngest. Inter Milan’s 26-man squad has an average age of 28.5 years, while Borussia’s 31-man squad has an average age of 21.3 years.

Real Madrid is the Most Valuable Club, While Bellingham is the Most Valuable Player

The most successful club in the Champions League, Real Madrid, is also the most valuable. The defending champions and 15-time winners are valued at ₹10,712 crore. Meanwhile, four players top the list of the most valuable players in the league.