As you know, I am in love with the Premier League. As a result of falling in love with the Premier League, I started to watch and got hooked on the UEFA Champions League. The UEFA Champions League is organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the governing body for football in Europe. It is one of the most prestigious club competitions in the world, featuring the top football clubs from European leagues. If you tuned in last year to the championship between Manchester City and Inter Milan you would have seen what a spectacle it was. It put the Super Bowl to shame.
I have to admit, one of the reasons I did not watch European football sooner was my mistaken impression that European soccer and all its leagues would be too confusing to follow. I was wrong. I missed out on some of the most epic soccer matches of all time. But, the good news is, now I get to watch great soccer with my son and we learn about the world. Here’s a brief explanation on how UEFA Champions League works.
Qualification
Teams qualify for the Champions League based on their performance in their domestic leagues. The top teams from the top European leagues, such as the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, and others, earn automatic qualification. The number of teams each country can send to the Champions League is based on the UEFA country coefficients, which are determined by the performance of teams from that country in European competitions over a certain period. Usually, it is the top 4 teams from each league that earn a spot. The 2024-2025 qualifications rule have changed and the two best performing leagues in Europe this season will each get one extra place for 2024-25.
Group Stage
The tournament begins with a group stage, where 32 teams are drawn into eight groups of four teams each. Each team plays six matches (three home and three away) against the other teams in their group. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage. The 2024-2025 season will start with 36 teams.
Knockout Stage
After the group stage, the remaining 16 teams enter the knockout stage, which consists of two-legged (home and away) ties. The teams play against each other, and the team with the higher aggregate score (total goals scored over the two legs) advances to the next round. If the aggregate score is tied, the team with more away goals advances. If the away goals are also tied, the match goes to extra time and then a penalty shootout if necessary.
Quarter-finals and Semi-finals
The knockout stage continues with the quarter-finals and semi-finals, following the same format as the earlier rounds. The four winners of the quarter-finals advance to the semi-finals, and then the two winners of the semi-finals move on to the final.
Final
The final is a single match held at a neutral venue, typically in May. Last year it was in Istanbul. This year it will be at Wembley Stadium. The winner of the final is crowned the Champions League winner for that season. The winning team also earns the right to compete in the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
How to Watch
Don’t think you have to watch all the games in their entirety. If you live in the US, most Champions League games typically take place on Tuesday and Wednesday during the day – so it will be a challenge to watch the games live. However, you can watch the highlights which will keep you up to date as the tournament progresses. Youtube has great highlights that are free. Youtube will keep you caught up on all the amazing plays and goals. You can watch on the YouTube UEFA channel or just search for specific games. Fortunately, CBS will cover the championship game on a Sunday.
If you do want to watch the games live you can stream them through Paramount + or Fubo TV.
Overall, the Champions League is a prestigious competition that showcases the best clubs and players in European soccer, and winning it is considered one of the highest achievements in club football. Tune in to see the greatest players and clubs in the world competing.
My son and I watch Champions League highlights on Friday evenings. It is great bonding time because he has so many questions about the different clubs and the countries they are from. Not only do we get to watch great soccer, but we end up researching the different countries and cities the clubs are from.
I hope you watch and don’t miss the action.