2024/25 UEFA Champions League: Matches, draw, final, key dates

This will be the 70th season of Europe's elite club competition and the 33rd since it was renamed the UEFA Champions League, as well as the first under the new format. It kicks off on 9 July 2024 and runs until the final on Saturday 31 May 2025.

Please note that dates are subject to change.

What is the new Champions League format?

The biggest change is to the group stage, which will become a single 36-team league stage. Each side faces eight different teams (four at home, four away). The top eight overall advance directly to the round of 16; sides finishing from ninth to 24th will contest the knockout phase play-offs, with the victors going through to the last 16. From then on it is a straight knockout.

When are the 2024/25 Champions League qualifiers?

First qualifying round: 9/10 & 16/17 July 2024
Second qualifying round: 23/24 & 30/31 July 2024
Third qualifying round: 6/7 & 13 August 2024
Play-offs: 20/21 & 27/28 August 2024

Man City won the 2022/23 UEFA Champions LeagueGetty Images

When are the 2024/25 Champions League league phase matches?

Matchday 1: 17–19 September 2024
Matchday 2: 1/2 October 2024
Matchday 3: 22/23 October 2024
Matchday 4: 5/6 November 2024
Matchday 5: 26/27 November 2024
Matchday 6: 10/11 December 2024
Matchday 7: 21/22 January 2025
Matchday 8: 29 January 2025

When is the 2024/25 Champions League knockout stage?

Knockout phase play-offs: 11/12 & 18/19 February 2025
Round of 16: 4/5 & 11/12 March 2025
Quarter-finals: 8/9 & 15/16 April 2025
Semi-finals: 29/30 April & 6/7 May 2025
Final: 31 May 2025

When are the 2024/25 Champions League draws?

First qualifying round: 18 June 2024
Second qualifying round: 19 June 2024
Third qualifying round: 22 July 2024
Play-offs: 5 August 2024
League phase: 29 August 2024
Knockout phase play-offs: 31 January 2025
Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final: 21 February 2025

Where is the Champions League final in 2025?

The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League season will conclude at the Munich Football Arena, the highlight of European football's club calendar returning to the German city for the first time since 2012.

Completed on 30 April 2005, the stadium is located on Werner-Heisenberg-Allee and belongs to Bayern München. It staged four games at UEFA EURO 2020 and since it will also be a venue for UEFA EURO 2024, it will be the first stadium in history to host matches in consecutive UEFA European Championships. Its capacity for that tournament will be 67,000.

The Champions League trophy on display at the Munich Football ArenaGetty Images

What do the Champions League winners get?

The current UEFA Champions League trophy stands 73.5cm tall and weighs 7.5kg.

The 2024/25 winners also gain a place in the League stage of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League, if they have not qualified via their domestic competition. They will also earn the right to play against the winners of the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League in the 2025 UEFA Super Cup.