The Champions League is one of the most anticipated football tournaments in the world, with the top teams from Europe battling it out for the coveted trophy. If you’re a football fan, you’re probably already aware of the prestige associated with this tournament. In this post, we’ll dive deeply into the history, format, and current teams of the Champions League.

History of the Champions League:

The Champions League, formerly known as the European Cup, was first introduced in 1955. It was created as a competition for the top football clubs in Europe to compete against each other. Real Madrid won the inaugural competition, and since then, the tournament has become one of the most prestigious competitions in the world.

The Champions League is a top-flight football competition organized by UEFA. It is based on groups of teams and a final.

Since its inception in 1993, the tournament has grown beyond recognition. It has become a financial success for clubs, sponsors and broadcasters across Europe.

The UEFA Cup

The UEFA Champions League is one of Europe’s most popular club competitions. It was founded in 1955 after a suggestion by Gabriel Hanot, editor of the French sports daily L’Equipe. The first tournament was held between Sporting Lisbon and FK Partizan.

The competition started off as a knockout competition and was initially restricted to the champion clubs of each UEFA member

association. However, since the 1990s, the competition has been expanded, introducing a group stage. This means that more teams can enter the competition each year and has helped it become a major attraction for fans across Europe.

A team can qualify for the UEFA Champions League by finishing in a position to qualify for the tournament at the end of their domestic league and also through finishing as winners of a European cup competition (formerly known as the Cup Winners’ Cup). As a result of this, the UEFA Champions League has become a highly coveted prize for European teams.

From 1999 onwards, the competition has also been accompanied by three qualifying rounds: a preliminary round in August to reduce the number of entrants, a second qualifying round, and a final qualifying round in January. These qualifying rounds, which are based on a country’s UEFA Country Ranking (UCR), were designed to ensure that only the strongest national leagues could send their teams to the tournament.

Until 2008, the winner of the European cup competition who won at least three times had their trophy engraved with a special mark of recognition. Milan, Barcelona and Real Madrid have all won this prestigious honor on several occasions.

In addition, clubs who have won their domestic cups in the last two seasons or five times in total are given a special place in the Champions League. This is because they are the most successful domestic clubs in their respective countries, but not necessarily because they have won a European title.

Another important feature of the UEFA Champions League is that it includes several countries that do not currently compete in the top division of their domestic football. These include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Montenegro, and Ukraine, as well as a few lesser-known nations.

During the 2000s, more than a hundred teams entered the competition, largely due to the popularity of the group stage and the fact that some of Europe’s biggest national leagues were providing up to four teams for the tournament. As a result, the UEFA Champions League is now considered the world’s most prestigious club competition.

In 2024, the UEFA Champions League will move to a single-table format with 36 teams. The same will happen to the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup. As a result, a club will be able to play six matches in the UEFA Champions League and six in the UEFA Europa League in one season.

The UEFA Super Cup

The UEFA Super Cup is a European football match played each year, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), and contested by the winners of the two main European club competitions; the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. It typically takes place in mid-August during the start of the European football season.

The competition was founded in 1971 after a reporter named Anton Witkamp had the idea of creating a competition between the top teams in Europe. The idea sprang from a desire to provide an exciting, definitive match for fans of the best clubs in Europe.

Witkamp had been a sports editor of the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, which at that time was considered one of Europe’s leading sports publications. He wanted to create a competition that would truly decide the best team in Europe, and he came up with the idea of a competition between the winners of the UEFA Champion’s Clubs’ Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.

Although UEFA did not endorse the competition in its first iteration, a number of top clubs expressed an interest in playing a head-to-head match, and Ajax and AC Milan were among the first sides to do so.

They took part in two-legged ties against each other, with the winners of each leg receiving the trophy. The competition was a huge success and the two clubs were re-enlisted to participate in the competition the following season.

In 1973, Ajax defeated Milan 6-1 on aggregate to win the inaugural Super Cup. The following year, the Italian side was back in the final and defeated Ajax by the same score. The Super Cup was officially adopted and supported by UEFA the following season.

Since then, the UEFA Super Cup has become a fixture of the European club football calendar, with the winners of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League clashing in a single-match final to determine who is the champion of Europe.

The final is traditionally held in mid-August at the beginning of the European football season, and it is usually settled by a penalty shootout if there’s a draw at the end of 90 minutes.

Over the years, several major clubs from across Europe have won the UEFA Super Cup, with Real Madrid and Barcelona both winning it a record five times. The German side Bayern Munich has won the competition twice, while fellow European giants Hamburger SV, Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund have also competed in the competition but never won it.

The UEFA Super Cup has been suspended on three occasions: 1974, when Magdeburg and Bayern could not agree on the venues for the games; 1981, when Liverpool could not fit the tie in their schedule; and 1985, when English clubs were banned from participating in European competitions. However, it has remained a highly popular event and UEFA has taken a lot of steps to make it more prominent in the club football world.

The UEFA Super Cup was the last tournament to be held at Stade Louis II in Monaco before it moved to other stadiums across Europe, including the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland, which hosted the 2022 edition. It is now the most successful tournament in European club football and is widely regarded as the premier European competition for elite clubs.

The Format of the Champions League

The Champions League is an annual competition involving 32 teams from across the European continent. It features a two-round group stage and three knockout rounds.

UEFA announced its plans to change the format of the competition earlier this year, with eight league-style matches spread over 10 weeks. This will increase the number of matches played by each team and generate more money for clubs.

Group Stage

The Group Stage of the Champions League is a double round-robin tournament featuring 32 teams and is the first phase of the competition. Each team plays six matches in the group stage, one home game and one road game against the other three teams.

The top two teams advance to the next stage and the third-placed team moves down to the Europa League.

UEFA assigns groups to clubs in the qualifying phase and the group stage according to club coefficient rankings at the start of the season. If two or more clubs are tied after these measures, then a tiebreaker is established in accordance with a set of rules.

Tiebreakers include points in head-to-head matches among tied teams, goals scored in away group stage games, total away wins and disciplinary record. If two teams are still tied, the winner of this tiebreaker will be the team with the lowest number of disciplinary points.

When it comes to the group stage, a club’s success in a match may have a greater influence on their fate than in a domestic championship. This is especially true of ties between teams that have not competed against each other in recent years.

This is why a lot of ties in the group stage are resolved through match results rather than through disciplinary record. The rules are that a team can be awarded no more than one penalty, a red card or a second yellow card. If a team is penalized twice, they will automatically lose that match.

As a result, there are more than likely to be multiple ties between two clubs that finished the group stage with even points. If two clubs are tied after these measures, then UEFA determines the winners in accordance with a set of rules.

The group stage of the Champions League is a major event in the world of football and one that fans will be anxious to see. Whether it’s because of their own personal hopes and dreams or because they just want to see their favorite club take another step forward, the group stage is a must-watch for any football fan. The Champions League is a chance for fans to witness some of the most exciting football in the world.

Round of 16

UEFA’s Champions League is the pinnacle of European club football. Teams from across Europe are invited to enter the tournament, with qualification based on competitions such as the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

The 32 teams who make it through are divided into eight groups, with each team playing six group-stage games. The winners and runners-up then progress to the knockout phase.

The Round of 16 is a single-elimination knockout stage and is played under a two-legged system (home and away). A tie is decided by the aggregate goals scored in both legs of the match. If the aggregate score is tied, extra time is played; goals in this period count double for a visiting team and one kick from the penalty spot determines the winner.

For the 2021/22 edition of the Champions League, clubs are allowed to make up to six substitutes during matches. This is a significant improvement over previous versions of the Champions League, which had a cap on how many substitutions could be made per game.

As well as this change, the 2021/22 format of the Champions League has been tweaked to add two match weeks and an entire 16-fixture play-off round. This is to give teams more time to prepare for the knockout stages and also means they have more opportunity to win a game against a top-tier team.

Another rule that will affect the Round of 16 is the removal of teams from the same country being able to draw each other. This will mean that Liverpool and Manchester City, for example, will not be drawn against each other.

Finally, there are two other changes to the format of the Champions League for 2021/22. The first is that all group winners go into Round 16 as seeded teams. This means that they will not be able to be drawn against any other seeded team in their tie and they will each play the first leg of their ties on February 14-15 and then March 7-8 or 21-22 2023 at home.

Quarter-Finals

The UEFA Champions League is the top club competition in Europe. The tournament is contested by 16 teams. Each team plays against another in two legs. The four surviving teams advance to the semi-finals. The winners of these two matches are then drawn against each other to determine which team is the “home” team for the final.

The quarter-final draws were held on Friday 18 March and will see holders Chelsea take on Real Madrid while Manchester City face Atletico Madrid in a rematch of last season’s semi-final. The other draw saw Portuguese side Benfica take on Liverpool after beating Italian champions Inter Milan to make the quarter-finals.

Arsenal were put in the other side of the draw as group winners and have been handed a tough draw against Bayern Munich, who beat them 5-1 in their group. They will need to win against the Germans before they can face either PSG or Wolfsburg in the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Spanish giants Barcelona were put in the other side of the draw and could be paired with Roma if they defeat last year’s winners – although that would be a difficult tie to get past. They’ll also have to beat the holders Lyon in the quarter-finals before taking on last season’s runner-up.

One of the biggest changes to the upcoming 2021-22 season is that UEFA have banned away goals from settling ties at the quarter- and semi-final stage. This was an old rule that has been in use since 1965. It is a controversial way of deciding a tie, but it is an outdated one that no longer serves the purpose of the competition.

In order to keep the competition competitive, UEFA have made a number of changes to its rules. The away goals rule is a major one that has been criticized by many fans as it is unfair to teams who do not score as much on the road as they do at home.

It is also a poor method of determining which team will go to the quarter-finals. It can be a hugely frustrating experience for teams who have won the first leg at home, but still lose on the second leg and fail to progress.

Semi-Finals

The semi-finals of the Champions League are a two-legged knockout affair that determines who advances to the final. The winner of each pair of legs progresses to the final at a neutral venue. In the event of a draw at the end of normal time, two 15-minute extra time periods are played to determine a winner.

The first leg of the Champions League semi-final between Real Madrid and Manchester City will take place on Wednesday, April 27 at 12:30 AM IST (Indian Standard Time). This match will be the 31st meeting between the two teams and will feature an array of high-quality talent across both sides.

This match will be a huge occasion for both clubs. For Madrid, they will be looking to avenge their defeat from last season and will be playing on home turf for the first time against a City side that finished runners-up in the previous edition of the competition.

On the other hand, Liverpool will be making their first appearance in the semi-finals since their 2018-19 winning campaign. This match will be a big occasion for both clubs and will feature an array of high-quality talents across both sides.

With both sides in good form and boasting some of the best players in Europe, this match is expected to be a nail-biter. In fact, it will be the biggest Champions League game of the season so far, and it could potentially decide who goes through to the final.

Another match that is set to be a major highlight of this year’s competition is the clash between Real Madrid and Liverpool. With both teams having 19 titles between them, this match will be a true showdown of quality.

Both sides have a strong midfield, with players such as Luka Modric and Kevin de Bruyne in particular, having had an impact this season. Both sides are well-organized and will be eager to get to the final. The Champions League has been played with two-legged semi-finals for the majority of its existence.

However, UEFA officials are considering changing the format to host both semi-finals and the final in one week at a single location. Known as the “week of football” plan, this would be similar to the Nations League climax, where the games are played over a five-day period in a single country.

Current Teams in the Champions League

The Champions League is one of the most prestigious competitions in European club soccer. It involves more than 700 teams from Europe’s top-flight leagues.

The champions of each of the eight groups play a home-and-away round-of-16 series, with the top two sides moving on to the knockout phase. The third-placed team drops into the UEFA Europa League.

PSG

PSG is a club that has achieved a lot in the history of French football. It was founded in 1970 and has a long history of winning many trophies. It has won a record 30 titles in its history and is considered one of the most successful clubs in France.

Their first trophies came in the 1980s, when they won two French Cups and their maiden league title. This was followed by a period of decline, but the club was revived in 1991 when TV company Canal+ took over as shareholders. This allowed the team to bring in a wealth of stars, including David Ginola, George Weah, and Brazilian playmaker Rai.

This influx of money made the club more competitive and they won six Ligue 1 titles, five French Cups, two UEFA Intertoto cups and one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. They also managed to qualify for the Champions League, but they have never won it.

However, they have reached the last 16 in the competition for the 11th year running and they are a top club in Europe. They have beaten teams like Barcelona and Tottenham but still haven’t won the European trophy.

There are a few reasons why this is the case. The main ones are the lack of top-quality teams in Ligue 1. It is difficult for any side to compete against the best teams in Europe. The other major reason is that the players are not playing as a team.

The current PSG squad has many world-class players but they don’t play as a team and that is the reason why their performances are not so good. They need to work on their team chemistry and this will help them improve their performances.

The upcoming match between PSG and Bayern Munich will be an important one for the club. They will try to win the game and move on to the next stage of the Champions League. It will be hard for them to beat their opponent but they can still do well if they put in an excellent performance.

Napoli

Napoli have enjoyed a great start to their season, and looks like they might be the favourites to win this year’s Scudetto. They are top of Serie A and have not lost a game in the Champions League.

They are also one of the most supported clubs in Italy, with around 13% of the nation’s population supporting the club, and their fanbase goes far beyond the Italian border. Despite losing some big names in the summer, Napoli has managed to keep a core of players and is now enjoying their best season ever.

This team is a good example of how much football can change in a short space of time. They have managed to win eleven games in a row and are currently eight points clear of reigning champions AC Milan.

However, they haven’t won their last three matches and will need to continue their form if they want to win this season’s Scudetto. Their next game is against Inter Milan on Wednesday, which will be the deciding match for the title race.

Hopefully, they will be able to make the most of the rest of their season and take this momentum into the new year. If they do, there is no doubt that they will be crowned the kings of the Italian league this season.

In the Champions League, they are currently grouped with Bayern Munich and Barcelona who have both beaten Inter Milan to secure second place in their group. Meanwhile, Liverpool and Porto both won their first games in the competition and qualified for the Round of 16.

There are five teams remaining in the Champions League. They are Chelsea, Napoli, Inter Milan, Benfica, and Porto.

Napoli has a lot of experience in the Champions League and they have had success on no fewer than three occasions. They have a fantastic squad and are capable of going far.

As a result, they are a good choice for the Round of 16, but they will have to improve their performance. Getting to the group stage of the tournament is not hard, but advancing to the next phase is another matter altogether.

AC Milan

AC Milan is the second most successful club in Italy with 18 Serie A titles and one of the most prestigious European clubs. Their nickname is “Rossoneri,” or the Red and Blacks, due to their distinctive red-and-black striped jerseys.

After a long period of financial instability, Silvio Berlusconi took control of the club in 1986 and turned it around. He hired Arrigo Sacchi, a young coach who had been unable to win a Scudetto for nine years, and signed Dutch players Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, complementing Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Alessandro Costacurta and Roberto Donadoni.

The team won the Scudetto in 1988 and then won two European Cups in the two following seasons. Their 5-0 victory against Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the 1988-89 season remains one of the most memorable victories in the history of football.

In the 1990s, Fabio Capello took over the team and turned it into one of the greatest sides in Italian history. His teams won five additional Scudettos and reached the Champions League final, where they defeated Barcelona 4-0 in 2007.

With an unbeaten record against Tottenham and after a disappointing 4-1 loss to Leicester at the weekend, Milan will want to turn things around against the Premier League side. But they must do so while keeping a cool head and avoiding the kind of mistakes that have cost them games against Chelsea this season.

If they are to qualify, they must win both of their last two matches and hope Salzburg lose both of theirs. They will then have to play a game against the top-seeds, either in the group or at home.

But it is not impossible for them to do that, as they have played well this year, winning all of their Serie A games and finishing top of their Champions League group. They also have the advantage of having a more balanced group than the one they joined, with three teams above them and two below them.

But it will not be easy to get through, as they must win both games against Tottenham and a home match against Dinamo Zagreb. If they do that, they will be guaranteed a spot in the knockout stages.

Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur is one of the most storied clubs in England, with a rich history of cup success that dates back to 1882. They are famous for playing exciting, attacking football and have won eight FA Cups and two League Cups.

They are also the most successful team in Europe, winning the Champions League twice and the UEFA Cup once. It is no surprise that they are considered to be among the best teams in the world, as their roster is packed with high-profile players and a strong fan base.

However, Tottenham have struggled this season and it is no secret that their top stars have not been performing as well as they did last year. Despite that, they are still in the top four and will be looking to move up to the top three when they play Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

The Tottenham squad is currently full of players from different countries and there are a number of players that have been brought in to improve the side. Among the recent signings are Arnaut Danjuma and Pedro Porro on loan from Sporting and Villarreal, respectively.

Although these new signings have improved the Tottenham side, it is important that the club continues to look for more improvements in the summer transfer window. They could sign a young player from the Academy who can help them improve as a team.

For now, the only way to see if Spurs can qualify for the knockout round is by winning their final group game against Marseille next week. If they can win that, they will automatically go through to the next round and avoid any of the other groups.

But the Tottenham team was not at its best on Saturday, allowing Leicester City to take advantage of the defending champions’ defensive frailties. They were smashed 4-1 and the loss is a real letdown after the club put in a fantastic display against Manchester City earlier on in the weekend.

It is a big test for the Londoners and they need Harry Kane to be in great form if they are to have any hope of progressing to the last 16. He has not scored many goals this season but it is worth noting that he is the top scorer for Tottenham in the Champions League this season with two.

The Champions League Trophy

The Champions League Trophy is the most prestigious club competition in the world. It is contested by the best teams in Europe, including the best clubs from each of the European leagues.

A team must qualify to participate in the Champions League by winning their domestic competition or advancing through a qualifying tournament. Since the first edition of the tournament in 1955/56, many illustrious clubs from all over Europe have been crowned winners.

It is the most prestigious club competition in the world

The Champions League Trophy is one of the most prestigious club competitions in the world. It is contested by 32 top-tier European football clubs, and the winner of the competition is awarded a monetary reward.

The tournament is known for its popularity and draw, and it generates a significant amount of revenue.

The tournament is organized by the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations). It started in 1955 and is played between the top teams from across Europe.

It has a group and knockout format, and it is open to all clubs from the UEFA member associations. The first stage of the tournament is the qualifying phase, where the clubs play three rounds before being paired into groups of four.

The top two teams from each group qualify for the knockout phase, and the third-placed team is eliminated.

Some of the most famous Champions League winners include Real Madrid, Liverpool and AC Milan. These clubs have dominated the competition since its inception, and they have each won it a record number of times.

Other storied champions include Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham. In recent years, these clubs have also dominated the competition, with their victories helping to create some of the most magical Champions League stories in history.

The competition is arguably the most popular and lucrative in the world, with broadcast rights of the matches averaging $2.8 billion per season. The Champions League has also been responsible for a large increase in revenue over the past decade, from $1.21 billion in the 2009/10 season to $2.39 billion in 2020/21.

Unlike the FIFA World Cup, which is the most famous club tournament in the world, the Champions League has not been won by any club that is not from a country within Europe. In fact, only a small number of clubs have achieved this feat; most notably Real Madrid and Liverpool.

Although the tournament has been dominated by the big clubs in Europe, it has produced some great surprises over the years. Some of the most famous surprises in history include Porto’s victory in 2004 and Leeds’ surprise win in 1999.

Aside from the top clubs in Europe, there are many other teams that have had a shot at winning the tournament. For example, Nantes was a team that was only one goal down on aggregation against Juventus in the semi-finals in 1995-96.

However, they didn’t make it to the final. Other potential sensations that could have won the Champions League include Dynamo Kyiv, which was only one goal down on aggregation in the quarter-finals against Bayern Munich in 1998-1999.

The Champions League is the most prestigious club competition in the world, and it has the highest prize money of any European football tournament. The competition is also known for its high attendance numbers, with many fans lining up to watch the games in person.

It is contested by the best teams in Europe

The Champions League Trophy is the most prestigious club competition in world football and is contested by the top teams from Europe’s premier leagues. This competition is organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which is the governing body for football in Europe.

The tournament is a round-robin group stage of 32 teams, with the winners and runners-up progressing to the next round. The third-placed team then enters the UEFA Europa League.

Teams compete in the group stage by playing six matches arranged in a round-robin format. They play each other home and away and are ranked in their group based on their performance in previous UEFA competitions.

For the first two rounds, each team plays one match against each other team from their own country. If a team wins both, they advance to the next round, where they play a match against the other team from their group in their home stadium.

There are 32 groups in the group stage, each containing four teams. The team with the most aggregate goals from their games advances to the next round. If the aggregate goals are tied, teams play extra time and a penalty shootout.

Some of the most successful teams in the history of the Champions League include Milan, Real Madrid and Liverpool. However, there are many other clubs that have contested the competition and won it.

As a rule, teams from strong leagues like England and Spain qualify for the Champions League. In the past, teams from smaller countries did not qualify for the competition but this is no longer the case.

In the last few years, UEFA has introduced two qualification streams for teams that do not receive direct entry to the Champions League. These streams are based on teams’ league championships and their second or third-place finishes in national leagues.

The winner of the tournament is awarded a silver silver trophy weighing 11 kg (24 pounds). It is made by Jurg Stadelmann, a jeweller in Switzerland.

When the first competition was held in 1955, 16 teams from across Europe competed for what was called the European Cup. The first champions were Real Madrid, from Spain. The trophy has changed hands many times over the years, with Celtic winning it in 1967 and Porto winning it in 2004.

A special badge, called the “multiple-winner badge”, was introduced for clubs that keep the trophy permanently. This is worn by clubs such as Real Madrid, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Milan.

Each team is required to display this badge on their left sleeve during the Champions League matches. The original badge was a blue oval on which an outline of the current trophy in white was overlaid with part of the Champions League star ball logo.

In order to compete in the UEFA Champions League, a team must finish in the top four of their national league. The top two teams from each country are automatically qualified, and the bottom three teams are relegated to lower divisions.

It is contested by the best teams in the world

The Champions League is one of the world’s most prestigious club competitions. It is played every season by the best clubs in Europe and it is the ultimate goal for a club to win the trophy.

The competition was conceived in 1955 as the European Cup and is the predecessor to the present-day Champions League, which started in 1992. The first season saw the tournament consist of eight teams, who competed in two groups and a final. Since then, the number of clubs has increased and now includes 32 clubs, competing in a round-robin format.

In addition to UEFA clubs, other major national associations also take part in the competition. For example, the winners of Asia’s AFC Champions League, Africa’s CAF Champions League and North America’s CONCACAF Champions League also compete in this tournament. In addition, the winner of Oceania’s OFC Champions League competes.

It is one of the most prestigious and lucrative tournaments in the world and is often a determining factor in which clubs qualify for the English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A and France’s Ligue 1. As such, it is an essential component to the success of any club.

A number of great clubs have won the trophy, and the most successful club in Champions League history is Real Madrid. The Spanish side has lifted the trophy a record 14 times.

AC Milan has won it seven times, while Liverpool and Bayern Munich have also achieved success in this tournament. Other notable winners include Borussia Dortmund, who won the tournament in 1997 and have been runner-up twice.

There are only three clubs who have won the Champions League four or more times, and these are Manchester United, Barcelona and Juventus. However, these clubs have won the trophy in different ways.

Manchester United won their first Champions League in 1968, and they have gone on to win three other finals, losing once. Their 1999 triumph was a memorable victory over Benfica, and they have also won the final in Moscow in 2008 after defeating Chelsea in the semi-finals.

While the Champions League is a hugely popular competition, it is not the most dramatic or vibrant tournament in the world. Nevertheless, it remains the most popular in Europe and the most successful club competition in the world.

Of the 32 nations represented at the World Cup, a majority are from Europe. This is because European clubs are considered to be the best in the world and because UEFA’s Champions League and CONMEBOL’s Copa Libertadores are the most important tournaments in Europe.

This is because the Champions League, along with the UEFA Super Cup, serves as a showcase for the best players from around the world. It is also a major money-spinner for the top clubs, who use it to boost their finances and attract the attention of sponsors and TV schedulers.

Format of the Champions League:

The format of the League has evolved over the years. Currently, there are 32 teams in the tournament, divided into eight groups of four. Each team plays six games in the group stage, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout rounds.

The knockout rounds include the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. The final is a single match that is played at a neutral venue.