A New Champions League is returning, and a new era has just begun for Europe’s top competition with the eagerly awaited league phase draw in Monaco. With the fresh 36-club format, the conventional group stage is no longer, and instead, a sole league table where each club plays against eight different teams replaces it. The draw has provided a sequence of blockbuster fixtures, paving the way for what is set to be an unpredictable and spectacular season.
The “Group of Death” Is Dead, But The Blockbusters Are Alive
Under the previous format, we would be discussing a “group of death,” but the new league-phase system (New Champions League) guarantees every quality team has a tough draw. The draw has produced some genuinely mouth-watering matches that would otherwise be reserved for the knockout stages.
- PSG’s title defense will be put to the test early when they play both Barcelona and Bayern Munich, a repeat of their 2020 final triumph.
- Record 15-time winners Real Madrid have been given a tough set, including a reunion with Liverpool and a showdown with Manchester City.
- Talking about Liverpool, they will also play Inter Milan and Marseille in their quest for European success.
- 2012 winners Chelsea boast a sentimental draw, with all four of their knockout opponents that year: Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Napoli, and Benfica.
The Long and Winding Road: Travel Extremes
The new New Champions League system is not only about big-ticket encounters; it’s also about a season of record-breaking travel. Some are destined for logistical hell, with trips across the continent and beyond.
- Real Madrid will make the 6,420 km journey to Kazakhstan to face new boys Kairat Almaty.
- Manchester City and Tottenham will have to make a journey north of the Arctic Circle during mid-January to play Norway’s Bodø/Glimt, who have a heated artificial surface to cope with the freezing temperatures.
These long-distance fixtures, particularly in the depths of winter, present a special level of difficulty to the competition, requiring teams to keep players fit and deal with a punishing schedule.
The Format In Brief
For those still coming to terms with the New Champions League format, here’s a quick summary:
- All 36 teams will play eight games—four at home and four away—against eight teams.
- The teams are drawn from four separate pots so that there is a mixed schedule for every club.
- The top eight clubs in the overall final single-standings will qualify directly for the Round of 16.
- 9th to 24th-placed teams will enter into a knockout playoff to qualify for the last 16.
- The lowest 12 teams are out of European competition altogether.
The new New Champions League format, promising “more football” and “more jeopardy,” is a risky move by UEFA. Though some have criticized that the sheer quantity of matches may weaken the importance of early performances, the sheer quantity of crucial encounters assures an enthralling spectacle.
The journey starts halfway through September, and with the last scheduled for Budapest on May 30, 2026, the path to the final is longer and tougher than ever. Time to strap in for a new type of Champions League adventure!
