AI Football Predictions

There are eight groups of four teams, followed by knockout round play-offs, the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. The eight group winners automatically go through to the last 16; additional knockout round play-offs are played before the round of 16 between the eight group runners-up and the third-ranked teams from the Europa League groups.

Before the group stage there are three qualifying rounds and a play-off round (split into a main path, and a champions path for those transferring from the Champions League and Europa League champions path). No teams qualify directly for the group stage.

Aside from an eye-catching trophy, the winners gain a place in the following season's Europa League group stage if they have not qualified for the Champions League via their domestic competition.

The new structure for UEFA club competitions introduced in 2021/22 ensures that at least 34 UEFA national associations are represented in the group stage of one or more competitions.

There are a minimum of 14 domestic champions in the Champions League group stage, between eight and 11 domestic champions in the Europa League group stage, and between nine and 12 domestic champions in the Europa Conference League group stage. All member associations have access to all three club competitions, and all associations' quotas have remained unchanged.

Speaking after the Europa Conference League was approved in 2018, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said: The new UEFA club competition makes UEFA's club competitions more inclusive than ever before. There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages.