UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League (usually referred to as just the Champions League) is an annual football club competition organized by Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for the top football clubs in Europe. The competition is played between the European national league champions and other top sides from Europe.
UEFA Champions LeagueIt is the most-watched club competition in the world, and the third most-watched football competition, behind the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euros.
The winner of the UEFA Champions League earns the right to play against the winner of the UEFA Europa League in the UEFA Super Cup. The Champions League winner also automatically qualifies for the following year's UEFA Champions League group stage. See also the UEFA Europa League, another annual competition for European football clubs.
What is now known as the UEFA Champions League was first held for the 1955-56 season, and up until 1992 the tournament was called the European Cup or European Champions' Cup (officially the European Champion Clubs' Cup, or Coupe des Clubs Champions Européens in French). Originally only 16 teams participated. In 1960 the tournament expanded to 32 teams, and then expanded to 36 teams in 2025.
Originally, the competition involved only the winning team in each national league, but since the 1997–98 season multiple entrants from certain countries was allowed. The strongest leagues now provide up to four teams.
Which Teams Play?
Only 36 club teams from Europe make it to the final stage of the of the Champions League tournament. Some teams are given direct entry, while others qualify for the Champions League group stage via qualifying. The teams with direct entry include those finishing in the top of the major European club tournaments, Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga, with spots also guaranteed for the leading clubs in France and Portugal.
Real Madrid hold the record for the most victories, having won the competition 15 times, including the inaugural competition in 1956 (actually the first five seasons), and their latest win was in 2024. (see the List of Champions League Winners)
Teams that do not qualify, transfer into the Europa League group stage.
Tournament Format
Originally only 16 teams participated in the tournament. In 1960 the tournament expanded to 32 teams, and in 2025 expanded again to 36 teams.
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League was the first under the new 36-team league phase format (called the Swiss System), in which the group stage has been removed, and the 36 teams play games against eight other teams, then all the teams being ranked on a single table. The top eight teams in the table qualify directly to the round of 16, while teams finishing between ninth and 24th enter a knockout round to determine the other 8 places in the round of 16.
Recent Finals
- 2024 — the final was played at Wembley Stadium, London on June 1, between Spanish Club Real Madrid and German club Borussia Dortmund. Real Madrid won the match 2–0 for a record-extending 15th title.
- 2023 — Played on 10 June 2023 at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. English team Manchester City defeated Italian club Inter Milan 1–0.
- 2022 — Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 1–0 in the final, played at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France. It was Real Madrid's record 14th title.
Next Final
- 2025 — the final will be played at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on 31 May 2025.
Other Champions League Articles
- List of Champions League Winners (men) — the winners, runners up and score of each tournament.
- List of Champions League Winners (women) — the winners, runners up and score of the women's tournament which has been held since 2001.
- UEFA Champions League Finals — the date, venue and winners of each tournament.
- Champions League History Timeline
- Champions League Trivia
- Champions League Firsts
Related Pages
- 2025 Champions League Final Spotlight: Historic Moments, Rivalries, And What’s Next
- More Major Football Events
- About the UEFA Europa League
- About the UEFA Super Cup
- About the Sport of Football (Soccer)
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