UEFA Youth League: what changes with the new format

Benfica will be making their debut in the new UEFA Youth League format. The first match is this Thursday, September 19, in Belgrade, against Red Star.

Winners of the competition in 2021/22 (against Salzburg) and runners-up in 2019/20, 2016/17 and 2013/14, Benfica's young team will make its way through the so-called UEFA Champions League Path, where the usual group stage - in which 32 teams took part, spread over eight groups, reflecting the pairing of the top teams - is replaced by a league in which 36 teams will play six matches.j

In the league phase, each team will have three home matches and three away matches, corresponding to the first six matchweeks of the first teams. The opponents were announced on August 29, when the Champions League league stage was drawn. The Eagles will face Red Star (Serbia), Atlético de Madrid (Spain), Feyenoord (Netherlands), Bayern Munich (Germany), Monaco (France) and Bologna (Italy).

Once the six matches have been played on the same points system as the national championships, the top six teams guarantee direct passage to the last 32 of the competition, where they will face the teams finishing between 17th and 22nd. The 7th- to 16th-placed teams will also qualify for the last 32, where they will face the 10 teams that qualify via the National Champions Route. The matches will be drawn on December 20 in Nyon, Switzerland.

Teams finishing between 23rd and 36th will be eliminated. The Domestic Champions Path will be played over three two-legged ties.

From the round of 32 onwards, there will be an open draw, scheduled for February 14, 2025.

After the two paths cross, the UEFA Youth League will end with the semi-finals and final being played at a neutral venue.

While the Champions League Pathway, will take place between September 17 and December 11, the Domestic Champions Path will be played between September 18 and December 11. Thereafter, the knockout phase kicks off on February 11, 2025:

• Round of 32: February 11/12, 2025
• Round of 16: March 4/5, 2025
• Quarterfinals: April 1/2, 2025
• Semifinals: April 25, 2025
• Final: April 28, 2025