The UEFA Executive Committee has approved the format of the UEFA Youth League, which will take effect from the 2024/2025 season.
Photo: uefa.comUEFA Youth League 2024/2025. Format
Qualification.
The tournament will be adapted to the new format of UEFA's main club competitions - 36 youth teams will take part in it, 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 from the Champions League and the National Champions tournaments, it will automatically be sent to the Champions League. 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.
Initial stages
The League stage will mirror the same stage of the Champions League, but will be limited to the first six days of play (three home and three away).
The tournament in the Champions League will consist of three rounds of playoffs with two matches (home and away). Clubs from the highest ranked associations will start the tournament in the second round.
Play-offs
After the completion of the above-mentioned rounds, the play-offs will be held starting from the 1/16 finals. The winner of each match will be determined by the results of one match. The clubs ranked 1-6 (Champions League path) will play the clubs ranked 17-22 in the 1/16 finals. Clubs ranked 7-16 in the 1/16 finals will meet the teams that have qualified in the National Champions League.
The clubs ranked 23rd and below in the Champions League qualifiers will leave the tournament, as will those who lose in the head-to-head matches of the National Champions League. The tournament will end with the final stage involving four teams (semi-finals and final), which will be played on a neutral ground.
The pairs of the 1/8th, 1/4th and 1/2 finals will be determined by draw.
Dates of draws and matches
Champions League path: league stage
The draw: 29 August.
Round 1: 17-19 September.
Round 2: 1/2 October.
Round 3: 22/23 October.
Round 4: 5/6 November.
Round 5: 26/27 November.
Round 6: 10/11 December.
The path of the national champions
Draw: 3 September.
Round 1
First matches: 18 September.
Return matches: 2 October.
Round 2
First matches: 23 October.
Return matches: 6 November.
Round 3
First matches: 27 November.
Return matches: 11 December.
Play-offs
Draw for the 1/16 finals: 20 December.
