How the new Champions League format impacts football
The UEFA Champions League will embark on a new era in 2024/25, with the prestigious tournament set to move to a 36-team line-up.
The current format features 32 teams divided into eight groups, with the top two in each section progressing to the knockout phase.
However, the new set-up will have a radical new look – one which could have massive implications for the competing teams, the betting industry and the wider football world.
What is the new Champions League format?
The new Champions League format is based on the Swiss-system tournament used in chess. This means that each team does not play all of the others in the opening stage.
All of the 36 teams are placed in one big league table with the positions determined by points and goal difference. Each team plays eight games (4H & 4A).
The competing teams will be divided into four pots of nine. Pot 1 will contain the reigning champions and the eight clubs with the best coefficients. Pots 2 to 4 are ordered on club coefficient.
Each club will be drawn to play two teams from each pot — one home and one away. Clubs will generally not play opponents from the same association, although there may be exceptions to this rule.
After the league phase has been completed, the top eight teams qualify for the round of 16. Positions nine to 24 will play-off for the other eight places.
The losing play-off teams will not have the safety net of the Europa League to fall back on. If a team loses in the play-offs, they are out of Europe.
How will the new format affect the betting industry?
Changes in the Champions League not only impact European club football, they also open up some exciting opportunities in the sports betting sector.
The new set-up is expected to be more dynamic than the current format, which will likely entice a new generation of bettors into wagering on the sport.
This may result in cryptocurrencies such as Dogecoin becoming commonplace as operators strive to make their platforms more accessible to punters.
Marcus Delaney, the Editor-in-chief at Expert Insights, says the new structure will lead to more varied betting opportunities and the implementation of different wagering strategies.
He believes that bettors familiar with cutting-edge digital technologies such as crypto may take a different approach to betting than other punters.
The future of betting, much like the Champions League itself, may even lie in innovative adaptations and technologies. You can read Delaney’s reviews here.
Will football be impacted by the revised Champions League format?
While the expanded line-up will allow more teams to compete at the highest level in Europe, there are implications for clubs further down the scale.
On the plus side, the new format should result in the league phase of the tournament being less predictable than the current set-up.
While the cream will likely rise to the top, teams in the middle to lower end of the standings should theoretically still have plenty to play for throughout the opening stage.
This factor will have a positive impact on the betting industry, as the games should be more competitive and thus more appealing to sports bettors.
However, the increase in the number of games has already impacted the wider football world – as evidenced by the news that FA Cup replays will be scrapped from next season.
While traditionalists argue this is detrimental to club football, fans of the Champions League will be unconcerned as their favourite competition grows even bigger.
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