All eyes are on the UEFA Champions League again this week as the 2024/25 competition steps up in Matchday 5.
Real Madrid extended their record haul to 15 titles last season by defeating Borussia Dortmund in the final at Wembley in what was the last tournament under the old format.
For 2024/25, a total of 36 teams entered the draw for the initial stage — known as the “league phase”. They comprised 29 automatic qualifiers and the seven clubs who emerged from the qualifying rounds. The competition schedule runs from mid-September until the final next May.
Four Premier League sides are competing this season, including Aston Villa, while there are five teams each from the Bundesliga and Serie A.
The Sporting News has all the key details on the schedule for the 2024/25 Champions League.
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UEFA Champions League schedule 2024-25
League Phase:
All the below kickoff times are Central European Time (CET), which is six hours ahead of Eastern Time.
Matchday One
Wednesday, 18 September
- 6:45 p.m.: Sparta Prague vs. Salzburg
- 6:45 p.m.: Bologna vs. Shakhtar Donetsk
- 9:00 p.m.: Celtic vs. Slovan Bratislava
- 9:00 p.m.: Club Brugge vs. Borussia Dortmund
- 9:00 p.m.: Manchester City vs. Inter Milan
- 9:00 p.m.: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Girona
Thursday, 19 September
- 6:45 p.m.: Feyenoord vs. Bayer Leverkusen
- 6:45 p.m.: Red Star vs. Benfica
- 9:00 p.m.: Monaco vs. Barcelona
- 9:00 p.m.: Atalanta vs. Arsenal
- 9:00 p.m.: Atletico Madrid vs. RB Leipzig
- 9:00 p.m.: Brest vs. Sturm Graz
Matchday Two
Tuesday, 1 October
- 6:45 p.m.: Salzburg vs. Brest
- 6:45 p.m.: Stuttgart vs. Sparta Prague
- 9:00 p.m.: Arsenal vs. Paris Saint-Germain
- 9:00 p.m.: Bayer Leverkusen vs. AC Milan
- 9:00 p.m.: Borussia Dortmund vs. Celtic
- 9:00 p.m.: Barcelona vs. Young Boys
- 9:00 p.m.: Inter Milan vs. Red Star
- 9:00 p.m.: PSV vs. Sporting CP
- 9:00 p.m.: Slovan Bratislava vs. Manchester City
Wednesday, 2 October
- 6:45 p.m.: Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Atalanta
- 6:45 p.m.: Girona vs. Feyenoord
- 9:00 p.m.: Aston Villa vs. Bayern Munich
- 9:00 p.m.: Dinamo Zagreb vs. Monaco
- 9:00 p.m.: Liverpool vs. Bologna
- 9:00 p.m.: Lille vs. Real Madrid
- 9:00 p.m.: RB Leipzig vs. Juventus
- 9:00 p.m.: Sturm Graz vs. Club Brugge
- 9:00 p.m.: Benfica vs. Atletico Madrid
Matchday Three
Tuesday, 22 October
- 6:45 p.m.: AC Milan vs. Club Brugge
- 6:45 p.m.: Monaco vs. Red Star
- 9:00 p.m.: Arsenal vs. Shakhtar Donetsk
- 9:00 p.m.: Aston Villa vs. Bologna
- 9:00 p.m.: Girona vs. Slovan Bratislava
- 9:00 p.m.: Juventus vs. Stuttgart
- 9:00 p.m.: Paris Saint-Germain vs. PSV
- 9:00 p.m.: Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund
- 9:00 p.m.: Sturm Graz vs. Sporting CP
Wednesday, 23 October
- 6:45 p.m.: Atalanta vs. Celtic
- 6:45 p.m.: Brest vs. Bayer Leverkusen
- 9:00 p.m.: Atletico Madrid vs. Lille
- 9:00 p.m.: Young Boys vs. Inter Milan
- 9:00 p.m.: Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich
- 9:00 p.m.: Salzburg vs. Dinamo Zagreb
- 9:00 p.m.: Manchester City vs. Sparta Prague
- 9:00 p.m.: RB Leipzig vs. Liverpool
- 9:00 p.m.: Benfica vs. Feyenoord
Matchday Four
Tuesday, 5 November
- 6:45 p.m.: PSV vs. Girona
- 6:45 p.m.: Slovan Bratislava vs. Dinamo Zagreb
- 9:00 p.m.: Bologna vs. Monaco
- 9:00 p.m.: Borussia Dortmund vs. Sturm Graz
- 9:00 p.m.: Celtic vs. RB Leipzig
- 9:00 p.m.: Liverpool vs. Bayer Leverkusen
- 9:00 p.m.: Lille vs. Juventus
- 9:00 p.m.: Real Madrid vs. AC Milan
- 9:00 p.m.: Sporting CP vs. Manchester City
Wednesday, 6 November
- 6:45 p.m.: Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa
- 6:45 p.m.: Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Young Boys
- 9:00 p.m.: Sparta Prague vs. Brest
- 9:00 p.m.: Bayern Munich vs. Benfica
- 9:00 p.m.: Inter Milan vs. Arsenal
- 9:00 p.m.: Feyenoord vs. Salzburg
- 9:00 p.m.: Red Star vs. Barcelona
- 9:00 p.m.: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atletico Madrid
- 9:00 p.m.: Stuttgart vs. Atalanta
MORE: All the latest Champions League news | How does the 2024/25 Champions League work? | Full UCL match schedule
Matchday Five
Tuesday, 26 November
- 6:45 p.m.: Sparta Prague vs. Atletico Madrid
- 6:45 p.m.: Slovan Bratislava vs. AC Milan
- 9:00 p.m.: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Salzburg
- 9:00 p.m.: Young Boys vs. Atalanta
- 9:00 p.m.: Barcelona vs. Brest
- 9:00 p.m.: Bayern Munich vs. Paris Saint-Germain
- 9:00 p.m.: Inter Milan vs. RB Leipzig
- 9:00 p.m.: Manchester City vs. Feyenoord
- 9:00 p.m.: Sporting CP vs. Arsenal
Wednesday, 27 November
- 6:45 p.m.: Red Star vs. Stuttgart
- 6:45 p.m.: Sturm Graz vs. Girona
- 9:00 p.m.: Monaco vs. Benfica
- 9:00 p.m.: Aston Villa vs. Juventus
- 9:00 p.m.: Bologna vs. Lille
- 9:00 p.m.: Celtic vs. Club Brugge
- 9:00 p.m.: Dinamo Zagreb vs. Borussia Dortmund
- 9:00 p.m.: Liverpool vs. Real Madrid
- 9:00 p.m.: PSV vs. Shakhtar Donetsk
Matchday Six
Tuesday, 10 December
- 6:45 p.m.: Girona vs. Liverpool
- 6:45 p.m.: Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic
- 9:00 p.m.: Atalanta vs. Real Madrid
- 9:00 p.m.: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Inter Milan
- 9:00 p.m.: Club Brugge vs. Sporting CP
- 9:00 p.m.: Salzburg vs. Paris Saint-Germain
- 9:00 p.m.: Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Bayern München
- 9:00 p.m.: RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa
- 9:00 p.m.: Brest vs. PSV
Wednesday, 11 December
- 6:45 p.m.: Atletico Madrid vs. Slovan Bratislava
- 6:45 p.m.: Lille vs. Sturm Graz
- 9:00 p.m.: AC Milan vs. Red Star
- 9:00 p.m.: Arsenal vs. Monaco
- 9:00 p.m.: Borussia Dortmund vs. Barcelona
- 9:00 p.m.: Feyenoord vs. Sparta Prague
- 9:00 p.m.: Juventus vs. Manchester City
- 9:00 p.m.: Benfica vs. Bologna
- 9:00 p.m.: Stuttgart vs. Young Boys
Matchday Seven
Tuesday, 21 January
- 6:45 p.m.: Monaco vs. Aston Villa
- 6:45 p.m.: Atalanta vs. Sturm Graz
- 9:00 p.m.: Atletico Madrid vs. Bayer Leverkusen
- 9:00 p.m.: Bologna vs. Borussia Dortmund
- 9:00 p.m.: Club Brugge vs. Juventus
- 9:00 p.m.: Red Star vs. PSV
- 9:00 p.m.: Liverpool vs. Lille
- 9:00 p.m.: Slovan Bratislava vs. Stuttgart
- 9:00 p.m.: Benfica vs. Barcelona
Wednesday, 22 January
- 6:45 p.m.: Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Brest
- 6:45 p.m.: RB Leipzig vs. Sporting CP
- 9:00 p.m.: AC Milan vs. Girona
- 9:00 p.m.: Sparta Prague vs. Inter Milan
- 9:00 p.m.: Arsenal vs. Dinamo Zagreb
- 9:00 p.m.: Celtic vs. Young Boys
- 9:00 p.m.: Feyenoord vs. Bayern Munich
- 9:00 p.m.: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Manchester City
- 9:00 p.m.: Real Madrid vs. Salzburg
Matchday Eight
Wednesday, 29 January
- 9:00 p.m.: Aston Villa vs. Celtic
- 9:00 p.m.: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Sparta Prague
- 9:00 p.m.: Borussia Dortmund vs. Shakhtar Donetsk
- 9:00 p.m.: Young Boys vs. Red Star
- 9:00 p.m.: Barcelona vs. Atalanta
- 9:00 p.m.: Bayern Munich vs. Slovan Bratislava
- 9:00 p.m.: Inter Milan vs. Monaco
- 9:00 p.m.: Salzburg vs. Atletico Madrid
- 9:00 p.m.: Girona vs. Arsenal
- 9:00 p.m.: Dinamo Zagreb vs. AC Milan
- 9:00 p.m.: Juventus vs. Benfica
- 9:00 p.m.: Lille vs. Feyenoord
- 9:00 p.m.: Manchester City vs. Club Brugge
- 9:00 p.m.: PSV vs. Liverpool
- 9:00 p.m.: Sturm Graz vs. RB Leipzig
- 9:00 p.m.: Sporting CP vs. Bologna
- 9:00 p.m.: Brest vs. Real Madrid
- 9:00 p.m.: Stuttgart vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Knockout phase:
- Knockout-round playoffs: Feb. 11-12 & Feb. 18-19, 2025
- Round of 16: Mar. 4-5 & Mar. 11-12, 2025
- Quarterfinals: Apr. 8-9 & Apr. 15-16, 2025
- Semifinals: Apr. 29-30 & May 6-7. 2025
- Final: May 31, 2025
The new format of the Champions League means the first phase, now known as the “league phase”, will last a little longer than the previous group stage. Matchday One begins on September 17, and the final Matchday Eight will not take place until January 29, 2025.
The playoff round for the knockout phase is in mid-February, with the remainder of the elimination stages taking place across March, April, and May.
The 2024/25 Champions League final will be held on May 31, 2025, at Munich’s Allianz Arena.
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Teams in the 2024/25 Champions League league phase
Below are the 36 teams in the draw for the Champions League “league phase”. The teams were divided into four seeding pots, and each side was drawn to face one team from each pot.
| Club | Pot 1 opponents | Pot 2 opponents | Pot 3 opponents | Pot 4 opponents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | Away | Home | Away | Home | Away | Home | Away | |
| Real Madrid (RMA) | DOR | LFC | MIL | ATA | SAL | LIL | STU | BRE |
| Man City (MCI) | INT | PSG | BRU | JUV | FEY | SPO | SPA | SLB |
| Bayern Munich (BMU) | PSG | BAR | BEN | SHK | DZA | FEY | SLB | AVL |
| Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) | MCI | BMU | ATM | ARS | PSV | SAL | GIR | STU |
| Liverpool (LFC) | RMA | LEI | LEV | MIL | LIL | PSV | BOL | GIR |
| Inter Milan (INT) | LEI | MCI | ARS | LEV | ZVE | YB | MON | SPA |
| Borussia Dortmund (DOR) | BAR | RMA | SHK | BRU | CEL | DZA | SGR | BOL |
| RB Leipzig (LEI) | LFC | INT | JUV | ATM | SPO | CEL | AVL | SGR |
| Barcelona (BAR) | BMU | DOR | ATA | BEN | YB | ZVE | BRE | MON |
| Bayer Leverkusen (LEV) | INT | LFC | MIL | ATM | SAL | FEY | SPA | BRE |
| Atletico Madrid (ATM) | LEI | PSG | LEV | BEN | LIL | SAL | SLB | SPA |
| Atalanta (ATA) | RMA | BAR | ARS | SHK | CEL | YB | SGR | STU |
| Juventus (JUV) | MCI | LEI | BEN | CB | PSV | LIL | STU | AVL |
| Benfica (BEN) | BAR | BAY | ATM | JUV | FEY | ZVE | BOL | MON |
| Arsenal (ARS) | PSG | INT | SHK | ATA | DZA | SPO | MON | GIR |
| Club Brugge (BRU) | DOR | MCI | JUV | MIL | SPO | CEL | AVL | SGR |
| Shakhtar Donetsk (SHK) | BMU | DOR | ATA | ARS | YB | PSV | BRE | BOL |
| AC Milan (MIL) | LFC | RMA | CB | LEV | ZVE | DZA | GIR | SLB |
| Feyenoord (FEY) | BMU | MCI | LEV | BEN | SAL | LIL | SPA | BIR |
| Sporting CP (SPO) | MCI | LEI | ARS | BRU | LIL | PSV | BOL | SGR |
| PSV (PSV) | LFC | PSG | SHK | JUV | SPO | ZVE | GIR | BRE |
| Celtic (CEL) | LEI | DOR | BRU | ATA | YB | DZA | SLB | AVL |
| Young Boys (YB) | INT | BAR | ATA | SHK | ZVE | CEL | SVL | STU |
| Lille (LIL) | RMA | LFC | JUV | ATM | FEY | SPO | SGR | BOL |
| Dinamo Zagreb (DZA) | DOR | BAY | MIL | ARS | CEL | SAL | MON | SLB |
| Red Star (ZVE) | BAR | INT | BEN | MIL | PSV | YB | STU | MON |
| Red Bull Salzburg (SAL) | PSG | RMA | ATM | LEV | DZA | FEY | BRE | SPA |
| Monaco (MON) | BAR | INT | BEN | ARS | ZVE | DZA | AVL | BOL |
| Aston Villa (AVL) | BM | LEI | JUV | CB | CEL | YB | BOL | MON |
| Bologna (BOL) | DOR | LFC | SHK | BEN | LIL | SPO | MON | AVL |
| Girona (GIR) | LFC | PSG | ARS | MIL | FEY | PSV | SLB | SGR |
| Stuttgart (STU) | PSG | RMA | ATA | JUV | YB | ZVE | SPA | SLB |
| Sturm Graz (SGR) | LEI | DOR | CB | ATA | SPO | LIL | GIR | BRE |
| Brest (BRE) | RMA | BAR | LEV | SHK | PSV | SAL | SGR | SPA |
| Slovan Bratislava (SLB) | MCI | BM | MIL | ATM | DZA | CEL | STU | GIR |
| Sparta Prague (SPA) | INT | MCI | ATM | LEV | SPO | FEY | BRE | STU |
How to watch Champions League around the world
How to buy Champions League tickets 2024/25
Once dates and times for Champions League fixtures are confirmed, the ticket process will begin. Other than the final itself, tickets cannot be purchased from UEFA directly for European matches.
Instead, the primary ticket sales are conducted by the participating clubs themselves so that fans can access them seamlessly just as they would other matches.
Once the tickets are distributed, fans can still get tickets on secondary market, with StubHub International as the best place to find tickets to Champions League games.
