Champions League football is back for another year and with some new teams competing in the world’s biggest club competition for the very first time, expect new history to be made and new players to emerge. Here’s everything you need to know before kick off.
In this Champions League article.
What is the Champions League?
The UEFA Champions League is Europe’s premier club football competition; a 32-team tournament consisting of the best teams across European football leagues from England, Spain, France, Italy, Germany and more.
Historically, the Champions League has been the home of the world’s best players all competing for the coveted Champions League trophy and an eternal place in football history. The Champions League is where legacies are made; for titans of the game such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the UCL represents the pinnacle of the sport and the biggest prize in club football.
Notably this year will be the first season since 2004 that neither one of Lionel Messi or Crisitano Ronaldo will feature in the UEFA Champions League, paving the way for the next generation of football superstars to write their name in history.
Think of it like the World Cup, but just for European clubs. What makes the Champions League special is its unpredictability and the way it brings together the best teams from various European countries, creating a unique blend of cultures and styles on the pitch. It’s a sporting spectacle that offers something for everyone, whether you’re a die-hard fan or just looking for exciting entertainment.
How does the Champions League work?
The UEFA Champions League is a classic tournament format, consisting of 32 teams split into eight groups, with four clubs to each group.
The UCL draw is determined by the final position of the clubs in their domestic leagues, with clubs such as England and Spain boasting the most clubs eligible for Europe’s premier competition. For example, there are four English Premier League clubs in the UCL this year, compared to only two French teams.
After each team has played each other twice, the top two teams from each group progress into the knockout stages of the competition. It’s here that clubs are able to progress through the tournament to reach the coveted final and lift the UEFA Champions League trophy.
Which teams are in the Champions League 2023/24?
Each new season represents a new opportunity for any club in Europe’s top leagues to qualify for the UCL the following year. There are of course the European giants that qualify every year, such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona. Teams of heritage and pedigree that dominate their domestic competitions year-in-year-out to secure their spot in the UCL.
Elsewhere in England, the inflated revenue streams generated in English football have created the most competitive league in the world, with historically mid-table clubs seeing huge financial investments into the playing squad and getting the results on the pitch.
This year clubs such as Arsenal and Newcastle have qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in decades following a strong season in the Premier League. Clubs such as Chelsea and Tottenham have missed out for the first time in years due to poor performances last season, opening the door for the other teams to take their place.
German clubs Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig rarely have any difficulty qualifying each year, but Bayern Munich is the only German side that has ever won the UCL more than once, lifting the trophy 6 times.
In Italy, Milan is UCL heritage, winning the Champions League 7 times; the second-most of any club in history. In recent years, I Rossoneri have struggled to replicate the feats of previous champion teams, Inter Milan and Napoli also hoping to bring the UCL trophy back to Italy in June.
UEFA Champions League Groups 2023/24
When does the Champions League start?
The UEFA Champions League starts on Wednesday 20 September at 02:45 am AEST.
When is the Champions League Final?
The UEFA Champions League Final will be played on Sat, 1 June 2024 BST at Wembley Stadium, London.