YB's Champions League opponents will be determined on August 29 - for the first time using software. blue Zoom will broadcast live. The most important information about the new draw procedure in advance.
How the Champions League draw works
- On August 29, the matches for the newly created league phase of the Champions League will be determined in Monaco. 36 clubs will play eight matches against eight different opponents.
- The draw involves 36 balls and a software program.
- First, a club is drawn by lot, then a program determines the matches. This procedure is then repeated 36 times.
- A manual draw would have required over 1000 balls and taken over three hours.
- To protect the computer-based draw from hacker attacks, UEFA works with an external company that monitors all processes.
In the Champions League, YB has at least eight matches to play. Due to a change in the format, eight matches will be played in a league phase instead of the previous six group stage matches. The games will be against eight different opponents. Who YB will face will be announced next Thursday from 6 p.m. blue Zoom will broadcast live.
In terms of teams and matches, the Champions League will be a tick bigger. A total of 189 matches are scheduled, compared to 125 last year. The competition will now be increased from 32 to 36 teams.
Previous procedure would have required over 1000 balls
The draw will also change with the new format. The human lottery fairy is giving way to the computer. According to UEFA, the old format with the ceremonial drawing of balls would have led to an "unbearably long draw". A manual draw would have required over 1,000 balls and taken more than three hours.
How the new Champions League mode works
- 36 teams are part of the new Champions League mode.
- In a so-called league phase, consisting of eight matches per team, all 36 clubs are listed in a table.
- The eight matches in the league phase are played against different opponents. The teams are divided into pots beforehand. Each team has to play against two teams per pot.
- The top 8 teams from the league phase advance to the round of 16.
- The remaining places in the round of 16 are awarded in knockout playoffs. A team ranked 9th to 16th will face a team ranked 17th to 24th, with a first and second leg deciding who progresses.
- The losers of the knockout playoffs and clubs ranked 25 to 36 are eliminated from the Champions League. There is no ticket for the Europa League.
- From the round of 16 onwards, the familiar tournament format is used. First and second legs between two teams up to and including the semi-finals. The Champions League winner will be crowned in a final match.
Thanks to software, the draw on August 29 should now be a snap - at least it should take less than three hours. Although technology will determine the matches, 36 balls will still be used. Each team is drawn individually by human hand, then the computer calculates the eight opponents and indicates when they will play at home and away.
External company monitors all processes due to possible hacker attacks
However, the new procedure raises questions. How does UEFA guarantee a fair and manipulation-free draw? The football association is working with an external auditor, Ernst & Young. The company checks all processes, in particular the randomness and compliance with the draw rules. It will also monitor the manual and digital draws on site.
The most important questions and answers about the Champions League draw
When is the draw?
The draw for the league phase will take place on Thursday, August 29, 2024 in Monaco.
Where will the draw be broadcast?
blue Zoom will broadcast the draw on free-to-air TV from 18:00.
What's new about the Champions League?
There are no more groups, but a league with 36 teams, each with eight preliminary round matches. The top eight teams in the ranking qualify directly for the round of 16. Ranks 9 to 24 will battle it out in the playoffs for the last round of 16 tickets.
You can find out more about the new mode above.
Are there any draws before the knockout phase?
The draw for the playoffs before the knockout phase will take place on January 31, 2025. There will be a final draw on February 21, 2025, where the tournament tree will be drawn up from the round of 16 onwards.
What do the draw pots look like?
The Champions League draw pots
- Pot 1: Real Madrid, Manchester City, FC Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool FC, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, FC Barcelona
- Pot 2: Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta Bergamo, Juventus Turin, Benfica Lisbon, FC Arsenal, FC Brugge, Shakhtar Donetsk, AC Milan
- Pot 3: Feyenoord Rotterdam, Sporting Lisbon, PSV Eindhoven, Celtic Glasgow, FC Salzburg, BSC Young Boys, Dinamo Zagreb, Lille OSC, Red Star Belgrade
- Pot 4: VfB Stuttgart, AS Monaco, Aston Villa, FC Bologna, FC Girona, Sturm Graz, Stade Brest, Sparta Prague, Slovan Bratislava
Who are YB's potential opponents?
YB is the only Swiss team to be drawn from pot 3. Each team will play two teams from each pot. Theoretically, a number of tough opponents are possible: Manchester City, Real Madrid, Leverkusen, Arsenal, Sporting, Eindhoven, Stuttgart, Monaco.
When are the Champions League matchdays?
- Matchday 1: September 17-19, 2024
- Matchday 2: October 1-2, 2024
- Matchday 3: October 22/23, 2024
- Matchday 4: November 5/6, 2024
- Matchday 5: November 26/27, 2024
- Matchday 6: December 10/11, 2024
- Matchday 7: January 21/22, 2025
- Matchday 8: January 29, 2025
- Playoff draw for the knockout round: January 31, 2025
- Playoffs of the knockout round: February 11/12 & 18/19, 2025
- Draw for round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals: February 21, 2025
- Round of 16: March 4/5 & 11/12, 2025
- Quarter-finals: April 8/9 & 15/16, 2025
- Semi-finals: April 29/30 & May 6/7, 2025
- Final: May 31, 2025 (Munich)
