As previously reported, a meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee took place in Nyon, Switzerland, at which a number of organisational decisions were made.
Photo: uefa.comAmong other things, the new format of the UEFA Youth League was approved, according to the UAF website.
The tournament will be adapted to the new format of the main UEFA club competitions. It will involve 36 youth teams representing the clubs of the main tournament of the UEFA Champions League 2024/2025 (Champions League Path).
The National Champions' Pathway is being reformed to include the winners of the youth championships of all UEFA associations (currently, only the top 32 associations participate in the tournament).
If a club qualifies for the tournament through the Champions League and the National Champions Pathway, it will automatically be included in the Champions League Pathway. The vacant place in the National Champions' Way will be taken by the second place winner of the respective championship.
The winner of the UEFA Youth League will automatically qualify for the UEFA Champions League if they have not qualified for the tournament through the Champions League path.
The UEFA Champions League Challenge will follow the same format as the corresponding stage of the adult tournament, with participants playing six matches, three home and three away.
The UEFA Champions League tournament will consist of three rounds, which will be held according to the play-offs with two matches (home and away). Clubs from the highest-ranked associations will start the tournament in the second round.
At the end of the aforementioned rounds, starting from the 1/16 finals, the play-offs will be held, in which the winner of each match will be determined in one match.
The clubs ranked from 1st to 6th (Champions League path) will immediately qualify for the last 16 and will play the clubs ranked from 17th to 22nd.
The clubs ranked 7th to 16th in the 1/16 finals will meet the teams that have qualified through the National Champions' Way.
Clubs ranked 23rd and below in the Champions League path will leave the tournament, as will those who lose in the head-to-head matches of the National Champions Path.
The tournament will end with the final stage involving four teams (semi-finals and final), which will be held on neutral territory.
The pairs of the 1/8th, 1/4th and 1/2 finals will be determined by draw.
