A new UCL: Betting under the new Champions League rules
In 2022, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) approved major changes to the Champions League which will take effect in 2024. Given this shakeup, the experiences of the players, viewers, and bettors will be different.
Let’s dive deep into the revamped Champions League and understand how the tournament structure has changed. Learn about the new rules for determining the tournament’s winner and how these changes will affect your betting strategy.
Bet using crypto on Champions League games
The new Champions League format: What you should know
The new Champions League has expanded its participants from 32 to 36 teams. The first 27 spots are reserved for the top finishers in domestic leagues. Germany and Italy each get +1 seeding positions for being at the top 2 of the European Performance Spots (ESP), making a total of 29 clubs.
The Qualifying Phase is played for the last seven spots of the League Phase. It took place from 9th July to 28th August 2024 between 52 teams—42 teams are in the Champions Path while 10 teams are in the League Path.
The Champions Path consists of domestic league champions who did not qualify directly for the League Phase. League Path consists of domestic league runner-ups of the top 10 conferences by country coefficients. The top five of the Champions Path and the top two from the League Path win the last seven spots for the League Phase, completing the roster of 36 clubs.
Here are the 2024/24 league phase qualifiers:
-
England (4 teams): Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Man City
-
Spain (4 teams): Atlético de Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, Real Madrid
-
Germany (5 teams): Bayern, Dortmund, Leipzig, Leverkusen, Stuttgart
-
Italy (5 teams): Atalanta, Bologna, Inter, Juventus, Milan
-
France (4 teams): Brest, Lille, Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain
-
Austria (2 teams): Salzburg, Sturm Graz
-
Netherlands (2 teams): Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven
-
Portugal (2 teams): Benfica, Sporting CP
-
Belgium (1 team): Club Brugge
-
Croatia (1 team): GNK Dinamo
-
Czechia (1 team): Sparta Praha
-
Scotland (1 team): Celtic
-
Serbia (1 team): Crvena Zvezda
-
Slovakia (1 team): Slovan Bratislava
-
Switzerland (1 team): Young Boys
-
Ukraine (1 team): Shakhtar Donetsk
The Champions League’s official schedule runs from 17th September 2024 and concludes on 31st May 2025. The number of fixtures has increased from 125 to 189, giving you plenty of games to look forward to and even more betting opportunities.
New Champions League tournament format
The most significant change in the Champions League is the removal of the Group Stage. It is replaced with the League Phase where all 36 clubs are pooled together instead of separated into groups. This marks the first of the new four phases of the Champions League while the remaining phases are familiar to fans of the classic knockout format.
Here’s a breakdown of each phase:
League Phase
In the League Phase, the 36 teams that qualified for the UEFA Champions League are pooled together but it’s not a round-robin format. Instead, clubs are divided into four pots with nine teams each arranged by their UEFA rankings except the Champions League winner of 2023/24 is always first place.
The UEFA then draws 8 opponents for each club from pot 1 from each of the other pots. Every team plays against 8 different teams in a single-legged match. Half of those events are played away and the other half are at home. Every win and goal scored contributes to that team’s League Phase ranking as well as how they move forward in the competition:
-
Teams ranked 1st to 8th: Each team is seeded to separate spots in the Round of 16.
-
Teams ranked 9th to 24th: Clubs play against each other in the knockout play-offs to secure their chance to the last 16.
-
Teams ranked 25th to 36th: Clubs in this bracket are eliminated from all competitions, including the 2024/25 Europa League.
Knockout Play-offs
The Knockout Play-offs is the phase for clubs that ranked 9th to 24th. This stage takes place from 11th to 19 February 2025 while the top eight teams from the League Phase get a break until March 2025. Fixtures in the Knockout Play-offs are drawn on 31st January 2025 where teams that ranked 9th to 16th are seeded against those that placed 17th to 24th.
Every matchup is a two-legged match played at home and away. The victors advance to the Knockout Phase where they face against the top 8 of the League Phase. The losing teams are eliminated from the competition.
Knockout Phase
Every match in the Knockout Phase is a two-legged elimination played home and away. It starts in the Round of 16 followed by the Quarter-finals, and the Semi-finals. Winners advance through the bracket but losers are eliminated from the rest of the competition. Only two teams will remain standing at the end of this stage on 7th May 2025.
Finals
The Finals is a single-leg elimination between the two semi-final winners. Scheduled to be held at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Bavaria, Germany on 31st May 2025, this decisive game will determine the Champions League 2024/25 champions. With the stakes at their highest, it can be one of the most iconic finals in the Champions League.
How will the changes affect your sports betting experience?
Now that you’re familiar with the new Champions League format, let’s explore what this means for you as a bettor. A few important points to consider is that there are no changes to the markets. You can still make familiar bets like match winner, total points over/under, and handicap bets. Additionally, the new format offers several benefits for Champions League betting:
Inclusion of more teams and enhanced outright betting odds
With the roster expanding from 32 to 36, the new format adds four clubs to your outrights betting options. While pundits and fans will still focus on their top favourites, the odds will be more dynamic than last season. This brings a thrilling opportunity for outright betting, with more potential for surprises and value.
More matches to watch and bet on
The Champions League 2024/25 has 64 additional fixtures compared to the previous season, giving you more games to enjoy and wager on at Sportsbet.io. This means more chances to win crypto, with each match presenting various markets like match winners and total points. It’s even more fun if you check them out in Rapid Betting where Sportsbet.io shows you more interesting in-play bets in quick succession.
A fresh spin on a classic competition
UEFA frequently updates the Champions League but most of them aren’t as drastic as with the 2024/25 edition. These updates breathe new life into one of the world’s most prestigious football competitions. With less predictable outcomes and more exciting draw dynamics, the format changes that UEFA made enhances the tournament’s appeal and provides fans with a fresh and engaging experience.
Join Sportsbet.io to win crypto on bets at the Champions League
Sign up at Sportsbet.io and top up your bankroll to get ready for the exciting Champions League action. Explore a range of features designed to boost your football betting experience. Enjoy better prizes with our Price Boost or create your custom bets with Multibet.
Don’t miss out on exclusive benefits in the Clubhouse, including level-up rewards, VIP perks, and more. With all these features, Sportsbet.io ensures your Champions League betting is as exciting and rewarding as possible.
Bet on live soccer matches right here
DISCLAIMER
The information provided by the blog above on Sportsbet.io is for general information purposes only. All information on the Site is provided in good faith, however, we make no representation, warranty, or guarantee of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, or completeness of any information or betting tips on the Site.
