Latest updates on the revised Champions League format post league stage assignment
The upcoming 2025-26 Champions League season promises to be an exciting one, with several new developments set to shake up the competition.
Trent Alexander-Arnold's return to Anfield in November is expected to be a significant event, marking the start of an action-packed season. Four newcomers - Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt, Kazakhstani side Kairat, Cypriot outfit Pafos, and Belgians Union Saint-Gilloise - will make their first appearances in the prestigious tournament.
Bodo/Glimt, based in the Arctic Circle, won plenty of admirers in their run to the Europa League semi-finals last season. They will host Spurs and Manchester City in the league phase, with these games being the most northerly Champions League games ever. Kairat, on the other hand, will provide the competition's most easterly venue ever.
The tournament will use the 'Swiss system', with each team playing eight fixtures. The top 8 teams in the league phase will go straight to the round of 16, while the next 16 sides must compete in the knockout phase play-offs to determine the remaining 8 teams. Goal difference takes precedence over head to head record in the league phase.
The fixtures are determined by a computerized draw, with each team allocated two opponents (one home, one away) from four seeded pots based on UEFA coefficients. The new format features an expansion from 32 to 36 teams, replacing the traditional group stage with a league phase. This change will take effect from September 16, 2025.
The UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) is responsible for the restructuring of the Champions League format. TNT Sports and Amazon will broadcast the games live, with TNT showing 187 out of 204 games across the tournament, and Amazon getting the first choice of the Tuesday night games up to the semi-finals - a total of 17 games across the season.
Teams from the same country are kept apart, ensuring a diverse mix of opponents for each team. The BBC will have a free highlights show on Wednesday nights, which will be shown on either BBC One or BBC Two as well as on iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
One of the highly anticipated matches of the season will be the Bobby Robson derby, when Newcastle host Barcelona in their opening game. The final league table determines which path the 32 teams take in the knockout stages.
The new venue for the final will be Hungary's Puskas Arena in 2026, providing a fitting stage for the culmination of this exciting season. The league phase games are played between September 16 and January 28, setting the stage for a thrilling end to the season.
These changes promise to make the 2025-26 Champions League season one not to be missed, with newcomers, exciting matches, and a fresh format all contributing to a renewed sense of anticipation.
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