Out with the old, in with the new for UEFA as the shiny new Champions League format takes center stage at the 2024/25 draw in Switzerland on Thursday.
With the competition expanded and reformatted for the 2024/25 season, UEFA has scrapped the old group stage model. The coming stage has now been dubbed the “League Phase” with UEFA pulling from the Swiss Model to determine the matchups and knockout participants.
With a new competition format, a new draw system is required as well. Teams will no longer be drawn into four-club groups, instead boasting a league phase table built out by AI instead. While balls will still be drawn from pots, that part of the proceedings will be largely a formality, with a computer setting the matchups.
The Sporting News brings you all the essentials on when the draw will take place, where you can view the proceedings, and how it will work.
MORE: What is the Swiss Model? How UEFA drew from competitions like chess to build new UCL format
What channel is Champions League draw 2024 in USA?
The UEFA Champions League draw will not be televised in the United States. You can watch the first draw of the new era exclusively on Paramount+ from CBS Sports. Paramount+ is offering a one week free-trial for new users.
Additionally, right now, for a limited time, new subscribers can enjoy Paramount+ starting at $ 2.50 per month for 12 months! Billed annually. Stream the NFL on CBS, Champions League soccer and more. Redeem now!
For those around the globe in territories where a broadcast partner isn’t designated, the draw can be streamed on UEFA.tv.
What day is Champions League draw 2024?
The draw for the new UEFA Champions League “league phase” will be held on Thursday, August 29 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. The Europa League and Europa Conference League draw will then be held the following day, which is Friday, August 30.
Further draws for the Champions League knockout rounds will take place in early 2025, as detailed below, when the participants are determined.
Knockout round play-offs: January 21, 2025
Round of 16, quarterfinal, semifinal: February 21, 2025
What time is Champions League draw 2024?
The 2024/25 Champions League draw will take place in Monaco on Thursday, August 29 at 6 p.m. local time in the principality.
Here’s how that time translates across some of the major US time zones:
| Date | Draw time | |
| Eastern Time | Thurs, Aug. 29 | 12 p.m. |
| Central Time | Thurs, Aug. 29 | 11 a.m. |
| Mountain Time | Thurs, Aug. 29 | 10 a.m. |
| Pacific Time | Thurs, Aug. 29 | 9 a.m. |
How Champions League league phase draw will work in 2024
The old group stage has been scrapped and now a “league phase” will be organized to determine the eight-game schedule for each of the 36 participants.
Just like before, all teams will be distributed between four pots, determined by UEFA club coefficient at the start of the season. The only exception is the reigning Champions League winner, who is placed into pot one regardless of standing. This season, with Real Madrid the defending champions, they would have been pot one anyways as one of the world’s most successful and powerful clubs, so that exception is moot.
Each team will then be drawn against two clubs from each other pot, including their own pot, one to play at home and the other away. Teams cannot be drawn against other clubs from the same country.
To create the matchups, the use of manually drawing balls from pots will no longer be a major part of the proceedings. This is because in the new format, it would take ages to draw all the required factors from pots.
Instead, the initial team will be drawn from the pot, at which point an AI computer software will be used to create the matchups and determine home and away designations. While this will help the time required for the draw to complete, it will likely destroy the aura of impartiality that is created by a manual draw.
