UEFA have announced changes to the format of the Champions League, starting with the 2024/25 season.
The main change is that the number of participants in the group stage will be increased from 32 to 36. The teams will play eight matches in 10 weeks.
Then, the top eight teams will automatically qualify for the play-offs. The teams from ninth to 24th place will play the knock-out phase, which will determine the eight participants in the 1/8 finals.
At the same time, UEFA rejected the criticised idea of allowing two teams that do not qualify for the Champions League by the normal means but have the highest club coefficient.
Two of the four extra places that result from the increase in the number of participants will be given to countries whose teams have been more successful in Europe in previous years – for example, this season that would be England and Holland.
Another place will go to the third-placed team in the league of the country whose association finished fifth in the UEFA rankings.