The UEFA Champions League is one of the most prestigious club competitions in the world. It is a tournament for the champions (and, in some cases, runners-up) of Europe’s national club leagues. Founded in 1955, the tournament is organized by UEFA, the European soccer’s global governing body. The coveted trophy is awarded to the winner, and many clubs dream of winning it one day.

The competition has been reworked several times since its inception, and the current format came into effect before the 2024-25 season. It has a 36-team league phase, with each team playing two other teams twice — once at home and once away. The groups are arranged according to a randomized draw, and a system of coefficients is used to create competitive balance in the groups.

A group winner and runner-up are guaranteed to advance to the knockout round, where they will be drawn against the other eight second-place finishers from each of the other groups. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals, while the third-place team drops down to the Europa League.

UEFA has also changed how home advantage is allocated in the knockout rounds. The teams ranked 1-4 are guaranteed to play the first leg of their quarterfinal or semi-final at home, and those who are ranked 5-8 have priority for the second legs as well. It is an attempt to make the games more meaningful throughout this stage of the tournament.