The new Champions League format explained (and how to win our bracket)
36 teams, one big league table, play-offs and knockouts: the modern Champions League explained simply, plus how points work in HeyFootball's CL bracket.
Since the 2024–25 season the UEFA Champions League has used a completely new format. The old groups of four are gone, replaced by one big league table with 36 teams. If you've ever been confused by it, this guide makes it simple. Then we'll show you how to score big in the CL bracket game.
The league phase: one table, 36 teams
- 36 clubs play in a single league table.
- Each club plays 8 matches against 8 different opponents, 4 at home and 4 away.
- Opponents are drawn from different strength pots, so every team faces a mix of big and smaller clubs.
- Teams get 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw, like a normal league.
Who goes through?
| Final position | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1st to 8th | Straight into the Round of 16 |
| 9th to 24th | Two-legged knockout play-offs for the other 8 places |
| 25th to 36th | Eliminated from Europe |
That middle zone is why every match matters: finishing 8th instead of 9th saves you two extra games, and finishing 24th instead of 25th keeps you alive.
The knockouts
From the Round of 16 it's the classic Champions League: two-legged ties (home and away), with the higher-placed teams from the league phase getting the second leg at home. Then come the quarter-finals, the semi-finals and a one-match final.
How the CL bracket game works
In HeyFootball's CL bracket you predict the whole competition before it happens:
- League phase: put all 36 teams in the order you think they'll finish. Tap one team, then tap another to swap them.
- Play-offs, Round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals: pick who goes through in each tie.
- Final: pick your champion.
How points are scored
| Prediction | Points |
|---|---|
| Exact league position | 3 |
| Right zone (top 8, 9–24 or 25–36) | 1 |
| Each correct team through the play-offs | 5 |
| Each correct team through the Round of 16 | 10 |
| Each correct team through the quarter-finals | 15 |
| Each correct team through the semi-finals | 20 |
| Your champion wins | % of fans who picked them × the multiplier |
The champion bonus is special. If your champion wins, you get points equal to the percentage of fans who picked the same team, times a multiplier set by the admins, plus coins worth a fifth of those points. Everyone who picks the winner gets the same reward.
Bracket strategy
- Zones beat exact spots. Nailing an exact position is hard, but getting a team into the right zone is worth a point every time. Focus on who finishes top 8 and who misses out.
- Use form, not just reputation. Big names can start a season badly. Check the Form tab and read how form works.
- Knockout points add up. A correct semi-finalist is worth 20 points, more than six exact league positions.
- Lock in before the deadline. Admins can lock brackets before the knockouts start, so don't leave it late.
Fill in your bracket
Think you can call the whole Champions League?