The Champions League league phase explained: 36 teams, one table
No more groups of four: every club plays eight different opponents and is ranked in a single 36-team table. What the positions mean and how the knockout play-offs work.
Since the 2024–25 season the UEFA Champions League has used a league phase instead of the traditional group stage. The same format is used in the Europa League and, with fewer matches, in the Conference League.
How the league phase works
- 36 clubs, one table. All teams are ranked together rather than in groups of four.
- Eight different opponents. Each club plays eight matches against eight different teams — four at home and four away — drawn from four seeding pots.
- Three points for a win. Points work as in any league, and the table is updated after every matchday.
What each position means
| Final position | Outcome |
|---|---|
| 1st–8th | Qualify directly for the round of 16 |
| 9th–24th | Enter the two-legged knockout phase play-offs |
| 25th–36th | Eliminated from European competition |
The sixteen play-off winners join the top eight in the round of 16, and the competition continues with two-legged knockout ties up to a one-off final. Teams finishing higher in the league phase are rewarded with a more favourable position in the knockout bracket and play the second leg at home.
Why the table is easy to misread early on
Because clubs face different opponents, the table only becomes truly comparable towards the final matchdays. A team with two wins against lower-seeded sides may sit above a team that has already faced two favourites. Goal difference and goals scored are the first tie-breakers when clubs are level on points.
Watch the 8th and 24th places: they are the cut-off lines that decide who rests, who plays an extra round and who goes home.
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The Champions League page shows the full league-phase table, upcoming matchdays, recent results and the top scorers, and every match page includes live events and statistics when they are available.