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UEFA Champions League

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(Redirected fromEuropean Cup)
"European Champions League" and "European Cup" redirect here. For other uses, seeChampions League (disambiguation)andEuropean Cup (disambiguation).
This article is about the men's competition. For the women's competition, seeUEFA Women's Champions League.
"UEFA CL" redirects here. For the third tier competition, seeUEFA Conference League.

UEFA Champions League
Organising bodyUEFA
Founded1955;69 years ago(1955)
(rebranded in 1992)
RegionEurope
Number of teams
  • 36 (league stage)
  • 81 (total)
Qualifier for
Related competitions
Current championsSpainReal Madrid(15th title)
Most successful club(s)SpainReal Madrid (15 titles)
Television broadcastersList of broadcasters
Websiteuefa.com/uefachampionsleague
2024–25 UEFA Champions League

TheUEFA Champions League(abbreviated asUCL) is an annual clubassociation footballcompetition organised by theUnion of European Football Associations(UEFA) and contested bytop-division European clubs,deciding the competition winners through around robingroup stage to qualify for a double-legged knockout format, and a single leg final. It is the most-watched club competition in the world and the third most-watched football competition overall, behind only theUEFA European Championshipand theFIFA World Cup.It is one of the most prestigious football tournaments in the world and the most prestigious club competition in European football, played by the national league champions (and, for some nations, one or more runners-up) of their national associations.

Introduced in 1955 as theCoupe des Clubs Champions Européens(French forEuropean Champion Clubs' Cup), and commonly known as theEuropean Cup,it was initially a straight knockout tournament open only to the champions of Europe's domestic leagues, with its winner reckoned as the European club champion. The competition took on its current name in 1992, adding a round-robin group stage in 1991 and allowing multiple entrants from certain countries since the 1997–98 season.[1]It has since been expanded further and, while most of Europe's national leagues can still only enter their champion, the strongest leagues now provide up to four teams.[2][3]Clubs that finish next-in-line in their national league, having not qualified for the Champions League, are eligible for the second-tierUEFA Europa Leaguecompetition, and since 2021, for the third-tierUEFA Conference League.[4]

In its present format, the Champions League begins in early July with three qualifying rounds and a play-off round, all played over two legs. The seven surviving teams enter the league stage, joining 29 teams qualified in advance. The 36 teams each play eight opponents, four home and four away. The 24 highest-ranked teams proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match in late May or early June.[5]The winner of the Champions League automatically qualifies for the following year's Champions League, theUEFA Super Cup,and theFIFA Club World Cup.[6][7]

Spanish clubs have the most victories (20 wins), followed by England (15 wins) and Italy (12 wins). England has the most winning teams, with six clubs having won the title. The competition has been won by 23 clubs, 13 of which have won it more than once, and eight successfully defended their title.[8]Real Madridis the most successful club in the tournament's history, having won it 15 times, and the only club to have won it five times in a row (the first five editions) and also five of the last ten.[9]Only one club has won all of their matches in a single tournament en route to the tournament victory:Bayern Munichin the2019–20season.[10]Real Madrid are the current European champions, having beatenBorussia Dortmund2–0 in the2024 finalfor their fifteenth title.

History

Main article:History of the European Cup and UEFA Champions League
See also:List of European Cup and UEFA Champions League finals
Winners
European Cup / UEFA Champions League
Season Winners
European Cup
1955–56 SpainReal Madrid
1956–57 SpainReal Madrid(2)
1957–58 SpainReal Madrid(3)
1958–59 SpainReal Madrid(4)
1959–60 SpainReal Madrid(5)
1960–61 PortugalBenfica
1961–62 PortugalBenfica(2)
1962–63 ItalyMilan
1963–64 ItalyInter Milan
1964–65 ItalyInter Milan(2)
1965–66 SpainReal Madrid(6)
1966–67 ScotlandCeltic
1967–68 EnglandManchester United
1968–69 ItalyMilan(2)
1969–70 NetherlandsFeyenoord
1970–71 NetherlandsAjax
1971–72 NetherlandsAjax(2)
1972–73 NetherlandsAjax(3)
1973–74 West GermanyBayern Munich
1974–75 West GermanyBayern Munich(2)
1975–76 West GermanyBayern Munich(3)
1976–77 EnglandLiverpool
1977–78 EnglandLiverpool(2)
1978–79 EnglandNottingham Forest
1979–80 EnglandNottingham Forest(2)
1980–81 EnglandLiverpool(3)
1981–82 EnglandAston Villa
1982–83 West GermanyHamburger SV
1983–84 EnglandLiverpool(4)
1984–85 ItalyJuventus
1985–86 RomaniaSteaua București
1986–87 PortugalPorto
1987–88 NetherlandsPSV Eindhoven
1988–89 ItalyMilan(3)
1989–90 ItalyMilan(4)
1990–91 Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaRed Star Belgrade
1991–92 SpainBarcelona
UEFA Champions League
1992–93 FranceMarseille
1993–94 ItalyMilan(5)
1994–95 NetherlandsAjax(4)
1995–96 ItalyJuventus(2)
1996–97 GermanyBorussia Dortmund
1997–98 SpainReal Madrid(7)
1998–99 EnglandManchester United(2)
1999–2000 SpainReal Madrid(8)
2000–01 GermanyBayern Munich(4)
2001–02 SpainReal Madrid(9)
2002–03 ItalyMilan(6)
2003–04 PortugalPorto(2)
2004–05 EnglandLiverpool(5)
2005–06 SpainBarcelona(2)
2006–07 ItalyMilan(7)
2007–08 EnglandManchester United(3)
2008–09 SpainBarcelona(3)
2009–10 ItalyInter Milan(3)
2010–11 SpainBarcelona(4)
2011–12 EnglandChelsea
2012–13 GermanyBayern Munich(5)
2013–14 SpainReal Madrid(10)
2014–15 SpainBarcelona(5)
2015–16 SpainReal Madrid(11)
2016–17 SpainReal Madrid(12)
2017–18 SpainReal Madrid(13)
2018–19 EnglandLiverpool(6)
2019–20 GermanyBayern Munich(6)
2020–21 EnglandChelsea(2)
2021–22 SpainReal Madrid(14)
2022–23 EnglandManchester City
2023–24 SpainReal Madrid(15)

The first time the champions of two European leagues met was in what was nicknamed the1895 World Championship,when English championsSunderlandbeat Scottish championsHearts5–3.[11]The first pan-European tournament was theChallenge Cup,a competition between clubs in theAustro-Hungarian Empire.[12]Three years later, in 1900, the champions ofBelgium,NetherlandsandSwitzerland,which were the only existing leagues in continental Europe at the time, participated in theCoupe Van der Straeten Ponthoz,thus being dubbed as the "club championship of the continent" by the local newspapers.[13][14]

TheMitropa Cup,a competition modelled after the Challenge Cup, was created in 1927, an idea of AustrianHugo Meisl,and played between Central European clubs.[15]In 1930, theCoupe des Nations(French:Nations Cup), the first attempt to create a cup for national champion clubs of Europe, was played and organised by Swiss clubServette.[16]Held inGeneva,it brought together ten champions from across the continent. The tournament was won byÚjpestof Hungary.[16]Latin Europeannations came together to form theLatin Cupin 1949.[17]

After receiving reports from his journalists over the highly successfulSouth American Championship of Championsof 1948,Gabriel Hanot,editor ofL'Équipe,began proposing the creation of a continent-wide tournament.[18]In interviews,Jacques Ferran(one of the founders of the European Champions Cup, together with Gabriel Hanot),[19]said that the South American Championship of Champions was the inspiration for the European Champions Cup.[20]AfterStan CullisdeclaredWolverhampton Wanderers"Champions of the World" following a successful run of friendlies in the 1950s, in particulara 3–2 friendly victoryagainstBudapest Honvéd,Hanot finally managed to convince UEFA to put into practice such a tournament.[1]It was conceived in Paris in 1955 as the European Champion Clubs' Cup.[1]

1955–1967: Beginnings

Alfredo Di Stéfano(pictured in 1959) led Real Madrid to five consecutive European Cup titles between 1956 and 1960.

The first European Cup took place during the1955–56season.[21][22]Sixteen teams participated (some by invitation):AC Milan(Italy),AGF Aarhus(Denmark),Anderlecht(Belgium),Djurgården(Sweden),Gwardia Warszawa(Poland),Hibernian(Scotland),Partizan(Yugoslavia),PSV Eindhoven(Netherlands),Rapid Wien(Austria),Real Madrid(Spain),Rot-Weiss Essen(West Germany),Saarbrücken(Saar),Servette(Switzerland),Sporting CP(Portugal),Reims(France) andVörös Lobogó(Hungary).[21][22]

The first European Cup match took place on 4 September 1955, and ended in a 3–3 draw between Sporting CP and Partizan.[21][22]The first goal in European Cup history was scored byJoão Baptista Martinsof Sporting CP.[21][22]The inaugural final took place at theParc des Princesbetween Stade de Reims and Real Madrid on 13 June 1956.[21][22][23]The Spanish squad came back from behind to win 4–3 thanks to goals fromAlfredo Di StéfanoandMarquitos,as well as two goals fromHéctor Rial.[21][22][23]Real Madrid successfully defended the trophynext seasonin their home stadium, theSantiago Bernabéu,againstFiorentina.[24][25]After a scoreless first half, Real Madrid scored twice in six minutes to defeat the Italians.[23][24][25]In1958,Milan failed to capitalise after going ahead on the scoreline twice, only for Real Madrid to equalise.[26][27]The final, held inHeysel Stadium,went to extra time whereFrancisco Gentoscored the game-winning goal to allow Real Madrid to retain the title for the third consecutive season.[23][26][27]

In a rematch of the first final, Real Madrid faced Stade Reims at theNeckarstadionfor the1959 final,and won 2–0.[23][28][29]West German sideEintracht Frankfurtbecame the first team not to compete in the Latin cup to reach the European Cup final.[17][30][31]The1960 finalholds the record for the most goals scored, with Real Madrid beating Eintracht Frankfurt 7–3 atHampden Park,courtesy of four goals byFerenc Puskásand ahat-trickby Alfredo Di Stéfano.[23][30][31]This was Real Madrid's fifth consecutive title, a record that still stands today.[8]

Real Madrid's reign ended in the1960–61 seasonwhenbitter rivalsBarcelonadethroned them in the first round.[32][33]Barcelona were defeated in the final by Portuguese sideBenfica3–2 at theWankdorf Stadium.[32][33][34]Reinforced byEusébio,Benfica defeated Real Madrid 5–3 at theOlympic Stadiumin Amsterdam and kept the title for asecond consecutive season.[34][35][36]Benfica wanted to repeat Real Madrid's successful run of the 1950s after reaching the showpiece event of the1962–63 European Cup,but a brace from Brazilian-ItalianJosé AltafiniatWembleygave the spoils to Milan, making the trophy leave theIberian Peninsulafor the first time ever.[37][38][39]

Inter Milanbeat an ageing Real Madrid 3–1 at theErnst-Happel-Stadionto win the1963–64 seasonand replicate their local-rival's success.[40][41][42]The title stayed in Milan for thethird year in a rowafter Inter beat Benfica 1–0 at their home ground, theSan Siro.[43][44][45]Under the leadership ofJock Stein,Scottish clubCelticbeat Inter Milan 2–1 in the 1967 final to become the first British club to win the European Cup.[46][47]The Celtic players that day, all of whom were born within 30 miles (48 km) of Glasgow, subsequently became known as the "Lisbon Lions".[48]

1968–1982

Johan Cruyff(pictured in 1972) won the European Cup three times in a row withAjax.

The1967–68 seasonsawManchester Unitedbecome the first English team to win the European Cup, beating two-times winnersBenfica4–1 in the final.[49]This final came ten years after theMunich air disaster,which had claimed the lives of eight United players and left their manager,Matt Busby,fighting for his life.[50]In the1968–69 season,Ajaxbecame the first Dutch team to reach the European Cup final, but they were beaten 4–1 by Milan, who claimed their second European Cup, withPierino Pratiscoring a hat-trick.[51]

The1969–70 seasonsaw the first Dutch winners of the competition.Feyenoordknocked out the defending champions, Milan in the second round,[52]before beating Celtic in thefinal.[53]In the1970–71 season,Ajax won the title, beating Greek sidePanathinaikosin the final.[54]the season saw a number of changes, withpenalty shoot-outsbeing introduced, and theaway goals rulebeing changed so that it would be used in all rounds except the final.[55]It was also the first time a Greek team reached the final, as well as the first season that Real Madrid failed to qualify, having finished sixth inLa Ligathe previous season.[56]Ajax went on to win the competition three years in row (1971 to 1973), whichBayern Munichemulated from 1974 to 1976, beforeLiverpoolwon their first two titles in 1977 and 1978.[57]

The following seasons saw victories in 1978–79 and 1979–80 for Brian Clough'sNottingham Forest.The following year Liverpool won their third title before Aston Villa continued the sense of English dominance in1982.

1982–1992: English dominance is broken

In 1982–83,Hamburger SVbroke the English dominance. Liverpool regained it in 1983–84 before losing to Juventus (1984–85);Steaua Bucureștithen won in 1985–86, Porto in 1986–87,PSV Eindhovenin 1987–88;Milan(2),Red Star BelgradeandBarcelonabecame champions before the competition was re-formulated as theUEFA Champions League.All English clubs were banned for five years (Liverpool for six years) following the1985 European Cup finaldue to theHeysel Stadium disaster.

Anthem

Main article:UEFA Champions League Anthem

"Magic...it's magic above all else. When you hear the anthem it captivates you straight away."

—Zinedine Zidane[58]

The two teams line up for theUEFA Champions League Anthembefore each match and a flag of the Champions League "starball" logo is waved in the centre circle.

The UEFA Champions League anthem, officially titled simply as "Champions League", was written byTony Britten,and is an adaptation ofGeorge Frideric Handel's 1727 anthemZadok the Priest(one of hisCoronation Anthems).[59][60]UEFA commissioned Britten in 1992 to arrange an anthem, and the piece was performed by London'sRoyal Philharmonic Orchestraand sung by theAcademy of St. Martin in the Fields.[59]Stating that "the anthem is now almost as iconic as the trophy", UEFA's official website adds it is "known to set the hearts of many of the world's top footballers aflutter".[59]

The chorus contains the three official languages used by UEFA: English, German, and French.[61]The climactic moment is set to the exclamations 'Die Meister! Die Besten! Les Grandes Équipes! The Champions!'.[62]The anthem's chorus is played before each UEFA Champions League game as the two teams are lined up, as well as at the beginning and end of television broadcasts of the matches. In addition to the anthem, there is also entrance music, which contains parts of the anthem itself, which is played as teams enter the field.[63]The complete anthem is about three minutes long, and has two short verses and the chorus.[61]

Special vocal versions have been performed live at the Champions League final with lyrics in other languages, changing over to the host nation's language for the chorus. These versions were performed byAndrea Bocelli(Italian;Rome 2009,Milan 2016andCardiff 2017),Juan Diego Flores(Spanish;Madrid 2010),All Angels(Wembley 2011),Jonas KaufmannandDavid Garrett(Munich 2012) andMariza(Lisbon 2014). In the2013 finalatWembley,the chorus was played twice. In the2018and2019finals, held in Kyiv and Madrid respectively, the instrumental version of the chorus was played, by2Cellos(2018) and Asturia Girls (2019).[64][65]In the2023 final,held in Istanbul, Hungarian pianistÁdám Györgyperformed the piano version of the anthem.[66]The anthem has been released commercially in its original version oniTunesandSpotifywith the title of Champions League Theme. In 2018, composerHans Zimmerremixed the anthem with rapperVince StaplesforEA Sports' video gameFIFA 19,with it also featuring in the game's reveal trailer.[67]

Branding

The "starball" logo is incorporated into the design of the competition's official match ball, theAdidas Finale.

In 1991, UEFA asked its commercial partner, Television Event and Media Marketing (TEAM), to help brand the Champions League. This resulted in the anthem, "house colours" of black and white or silver and a logo, and the "starball". The starball was created by Design Bridge, a London-based firm selected by TEAM after a competition.[68]TEAM gives particular attention to detail in how the colours and starball are depicted at matches. According to TEAM, "Irrespective of whether you are a spectator in Moscow or Milan, you will always see the same stadium dressing materials, the same opening ceremony featuring the 'starball' centre circle ceremony, and hear the sameUEFA Champions League Anthem".Based on research it conducted, TEAM concluded that by 1999," the starball logo had achieved a recognition rate of 94 percent among fans ".[69]

Format

A map of UEFA countries whose teams have reached the group stage of the UEFA Champions League
UEFA member state that has been represented in the group stage
UEFA member state that has not been represented in the group stage

Qualification

See also:UEFA coefficient

The UEFA Champions League used to begin with a doubleround-robingroup stage of 32 teams until it evolved into a league stage of 36 teams, which is preceded by two qualification 'streams' for teams that do not receive direct entry to the tournament proper. The two streams are divided between teams qualified by virtue of being league champions, and those qualified by virtue of finishing second, third or fourth in their national championship.

The number of teams that each association enters into the UEFA Champions League is based upon theUEFA coefficientsof the member associations. These coefficients are generated by the results of clubs representing each association during the previous five Champions League,Europa LeagueandConference Leagueseasons. The higher an association's coefficient, the more teams represent the association in the Champions League, and the fewer qualification rounds the association's teams must compete in.

Five of the remaining seven qualifying places are granted to the winners of a four-round qualifying tournament between the remaining 43 or 44 national champions, within which those champions from associations with higher coefficients receive byes to later rounds. The other two are granted to the winners of a three-round qualifying tournament between ten and eleven clubs from the associations ranked 5–6 through 15, which have qualified based upon finishing second, third or fourth in their respective national league.

In addition to sporting criteria, any club must be licensed by its national association to participate in the Champions League. To obtain a license, the club must meet certain stadium, infrastructure and finance requirements.

In2005–06,Liverpool andArtmedia Bratislavabecame the first teams to reach the Champions League group stage after playing in all three qualifying rounds. Real Madrid and Barcelona hold the record for the most appearances in the group stage, having qualified 25 times, followed byPortoand Bayern Munich on 24.[70]

Between 1999 and 2008, no differentiation was made between champions and non-champions in qualification. The 16 top-ranked teams spread across the biggest domestic leagues qualified directly for the tournament group stage. Prior to this, three preliminary knockout qualifying rounds whittled down the remaining teams, with teams starting in different rounds.

An exception to the usual European qualification system happened in 2005, after Liverpool won the Champions League the year before, but did not finish in a Champions League qualification place in the Premier League that season. UEFA gave special dispensation for Liverpool to enter the Champions League, giving England five qualifiers.[71]UEFA subsequently ruled that the defending champions qualify for the competition the following year regardless of their domestic league placing. However, for those leagues with four entrants in the Champions League, this meant that, if the Champions League winner fell outside of its domestic league's top four, it would qualify at the expense of the fourth-placed team in the league. Until 2015–16, no association could have more than four entrants in the Champions League.[72]In May 2012,Tottenham Hotspurfinished fourth in the2011–12 Premier League,two places ahead of Chelsea, but failed to qualify for the2012–13 Champions League,after Chelsea won the2012 final.[73]Tottenham were demoted to the2012–13 UEFA Europa League.[73]

In May 2013,[74]it was decided that, starting from the2015–16 season(and continuing at least for the three-year cycle until the2017–18 season), the winners of the previous season'sUEFA Europa Leaguewould qualify for the UEFA Champions League, entering at least the play-off round, and entering the group stage if the berth reserved for the Champions League title holders was not used. The previous limit of a maximum of four teams per association was increased to five, meaning that a fourth-placed team from one of the top three ranked associations would only have to be moved to the Europa League if both the Champions League and Europa League winners came from that association and both finished outside the top four of their domestic league.[75]

In 2007,Michel Platini,the UEFA president, had proposed taking one place from the three leagues with four entrants and allocating it to that nation's cup winners. This proposal was rejected in a vote at a UEFA Strategy Council meeting.[76]In the same meeting, however, it was agreed that the third-placed team in the top three leagues would receive automatic qualification for the group stage, rather than entry into the third qualifying round, while the fourth-placed team would enter the play-off round for non-champions, guaranteeing an opponent from one of the top 15 leagues in Europe. This was part of Platini's plan to increase the number of teams qualifying directly into the group stage, while simultaneously increasing the number of teams from lower-ranked nations in the group stage.[77]

In 2012,Arsène Wengerreferred to qualifying for the Champions League by finishing in the top four places in the EnglishPremier Leagueas the "4th Place Trophy". The phrase was coined after a pre-match conference when he was questioned about Arsenal's lack of a trophy after exiting theFA Cup.He said "The first trophy is to finish in the top four".[78]At Arsenal's 2012 AGM, Wenger was also quoted as saying: "For me there are five trophies every season: Premier League, Champions League, the third is to qualify for the Champions League..."[79]

League and knockout phases

AC MilanandReal Madridare two of the competition's most successful teams.

Till the end of the 2023–24 season, the tournament proper began with a group stage of 32 teams, divided into eight groups of four.[80]The draw to determine which teams go into each group isseededbased on teams' performance in UEFA competitions, and no group may contain more than one club from each nation. Each team plays six group stage games, meeting the other three teams in its group home and away in a round-robin format.[80]The winning team and the runners-up from each group then progress to the next round. The third-placed team enters the UEFA Europa League.

For the next stage – the last 16 – the winning team from one group plays against the runners-up from another group, and teams from the same association may not be drawn against each other (seerandom two-sided matching). From the quarter-finals onwards, the draw is entirely random, without association protection.[81]

The group stage is played from September to December, whilst the knock-out stage starts in February, with matches usually played on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. The knock-out ties are played in a two-legged format, with the exception of the final. The final is typically held in the last two weeks of May, or in the early days of June, which has happened in three consecutive odd-numbered years since2015.In the2019–20 season,due to theCOVID-19 pandemicthe tournament was suspended for five months. The format of the remainder of the tournament was temporarily amended as a result, with the quarter-finals and semi-finals being played as single match knockout ties at neutral venues in Lisbon, Portugal in the summer with the final taking place on 23 August.[82]

Starting on the 2024–25 season, UEFA changed the format of their 3 club competitions,[83]abandoning the group stage and adopting a league stage. Alongside with this change, the number of participating teams was increased from 32 to 36 teams. Teams are no longer divided into groups of 4 teams each but are ranked in a unique table. Each team plays 8 matches against 8 different opponents. For the draw of the league stage, teams are divided in 4 seeding pots according with theirUEFA coefficient.Each team will play against two teams from each pot, one away and one home.

After the league stage, a two legged knockout stage is played. Teams ranked in top 8 in league stage will qualify automatically for the round of 16 as seeded teams, while teams finishing between the 9th and 24th place will enter the playoff that will determine the 8 teams that will take part in the round of 16 draw as unseeded teams. Teams below 25th place are eliminated from competition and from European football since there are no more dropouts to Europa League at this stage.

After the round of 16 the competition follows the traditional knockout format with quarter-finals, semi-finals (both two legged) and then the big final (in a neutral venue previously chosen).

Distribution

The following is the default access list.

Access list for UEFA Champions League from 2024−25 season[84]
Teams entering in this round Teams advancing from the previous round
First qualifying round
(32 teams)
  • 32 champions from associations 23–55 (except Liechtenstein)
Second qualifying round Champions Path
(24 teams)
  • 8 champions from associations 15–22
  • 16 winners from the first qualifying round
League Path
(6 teams)
  • 6 runners-up from associations 10–15
Third qualifying round Champions Path
(12 teams)
  • 12 winners from the second qualifying round (Champions Path)
League Path
(8 teams)
  • 3 runners-up from associations 7–9
  • 1 third-placed team from association 6
  • 1 fourth-placed team from association 5
  • 3 winners from the second qualifying round (League Path)
Play-off round Champions Path
(10 teams)
  • 4 champions from associations 11–14
  • 6 winners from the third qualifying round (Champions Path)
League Path
(4 teams)
  • 4 winners from the third qualifying round (League Path)
League stage
(36 teams)
  • UEFA Champions League title holders
  • UEFA Europa Leaguetitle holders
  • 10 champions from associations 1–10
  • 6 runners-up from associations 1–6
  • 5 third-placed teams from associations 1–5
  • 4 fourth-placed teams from associations 1–4
  • 2 teams from associations with the highest 1-year association coefficient
  • 5 winners from the play-off round (Champions Path)
  • 2 winners from the play-off round (League Path)
Preliminary knockout round
(16 teams)
  • 16 teams ranked from 9−24 in league stage
Knockout stage
(16 teams)
  • 8 teams ranked from 1−8 in league stage
  • 8 winners from previous play-off

Changes will be made to the access list above if the Champions League or Europa League title holders qualify for the tournament via their domestic leagues.

  • If the Champions League title holders qualify for the group stage via their domestic league's standard berth allocation, the best champions in qualifying rounds enter the group stage, and champions of the highest-ranked associations in earlier rounds are also promoted accordingly.
  • If the Europa League title holders qualify for the group stage via their domestic league's standard berth allocation, the best club in qualifying rounds enters the group stage, except for the runners-up of associations 11–15, as they have a higher-ranked domestic team in the qualifiers, and teams of the highest-ranked associations in earlier rounds are also promoted accordingly.
  • If the Champions League or Europa League title holders qualify for the qualifying rounds via their domestic league, their spot in the qualifying rounds is vacated, and teams of the highest-ranked associations in earlier rounds are promoted accordingly.

Prizes

Trophy and medals

Main article:European Champion Clubs' Cup
The trophy

Each year, the winning team is presented with the European Champion Clubs' Cup, the current version of which has been awarded since 1967. From the 1968–69 season and prior to the 2008–09 season any team that won the Champions League three years in a row or five times overall was awarded the official trophy permanently.[85]Each time a club achieved this, a new official trophy had to be forged for the following season.[86]Five clubs own a version of the official trophy:Real Madrid, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Milan and Liverpool.[85]Since 2008, the official trophy has remained with UEFA and the clubs are awarded a replica.[85]

The current trophy is 74 cm (29 in) tall and made of silver, weighing 11 kg (24 lb). It was designed by Jürg Stadelmann, a jeweller fromBern,Switzerland, after the original was given to Real Madrid in 1966 in recognition of their six titles to date, and cost 10,000Swiss francs.

As of the 2012–13 season, 40 gold medals are presented to the Champions League winners, and 40 silver medals to the runners-up.[87]

Prize money

Starting with the 2024–25 season, the distribution of the prize money is as follows.[88]

  • Play-off round: €4,290,000
  • Base fee for league phase: €18,620,000
  • League phase victory: €2,100,000
  • League phase draw: €700,000
  • League phase top 8: €2,000,000
  • League phase ranked 9 through 16: €1,000,000
  • Knockout round play-offs: €1,000,000
  • Round of 16: €11,000,000
  • Quarter-finals: €12,500,000
  • Semi-finals: €15,000,000
  • Runners-up: €18,500,000
  • Champions: €25,000,000

A large part of the distributed revenue from the UEFA Champions League is linked to the "market pool", the distribution of which is determined by the value of the television market in each nation. For the 2019–20 season,Paris Saint-Germain,who were the runners-up, earned nearly €126.8 million in total, of which €101.3 million was prize money, compared with the €125.46 million earned by Bayern Munich, who won the tournament and were awarded €112.96 million in prize money.[89]

Sponsorship

A can ofHeinekenwith the branding of the2011 UEFA Champions League final
Real Madrid were barred from wearing theirbwin-sponsored jerseys when they played againstGalatasarayin Turkey in April 2013, wheregamblingadvertisements are banned.

Like theFIFA World Cup,the UEFA Champions League is sponsored by a group of multinational corporations, in contrast to the single main sponsor typically found in national top-flight leagues. When the Champions League was created in 1992, it was decided that a maximum of eight companies should be allowed to sponsor the event, with each corporation being allocated four advertising boards around the perimeter of the pitch, as well as logo placement at pre- and post-match interviews and a certain number of tickets to each match. This, combined with a deal to ensure tournament sponsors were given priority on television advertisements during matches, ensured that each of the tournament's main sponsors was given maximum exposure.[90]

From the2012–13 knockout phase,UEFA used LEDadvertising hoardingsinstalled in knock-out participant stadiums, including the final stage. From the2015–16 seasononwards, UEFA has used such hoardings from the play-off round until the final.[91]Since 2021, the UEFA also used Virtual Board Replacement (VBR) technology to offer region-based advertising; regional sponsors are inserted into the hoardings as shown on the broadcast feed in specific regions along with the global sponsors.[92][93]

Individual clubs may wear jerseys with advertising. However, only two sponsorships are permitted per jersey in addition to that of the kit manufacturer, at the chest and the left sleeve.[94]Exceptions are made for non-profit organisations, which can feature on the front of the shirt, incorporated with the main sponsor or in place of it; or on the back, either below the squad number or on the collar area.[95]

If a club plays a match in a nation where the relevant sponsorship category is restricted (such as France'salcohol advertisingrestriction), then they must remove that logo from their jerseys. For example, whenRangersplayed French sideAuxerrein the1996–97 Champions League,they wore the logo of the holiday chainCenter Parcsinstead of their primary sponsor,McEwan's Lager(both companies at the time were subsidiaries ofScottish & Newcastle).[96]

Media coverage

Main article:List of UEFA Champions League broadcasters

The competition attracts an extensive television audience, not just in Europe, but throughout the world. The final of the tournament has been, in recent years, the most-watched annual sporting event in the world.[97]Thefinal of the 2012–13 tournamenthad the competition's highest TV ratings to date, drawing approximately 360 million television viewers.[98]

Team records and statistics

Main article:European Cup and UEFA Champions League records and statistics
See also:UEFA Champions League clubs performance comparison

Performance by club

Main article:List of European Cup and UEFA Champions League finals


Performances in the European Cup and UEFA Champions League by club
Club 		Title(s) Runners-up Seasons won Seasons runner-up
SpainReal Madrid 15 3 1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1966,1998,2000,2002,2014,2016,2017,2018,2022,2024 1962,1964,1981
ItalyMilan 7 4 1963,1969,1989,1990,1994,2003,2007 1958,1993,1995,2005
GermanyBayern Munich 6 5 1974,1975,1976,2001,2013,2020 1982,1987,1999,2010,2012
EnglandLiverpool 6 4 1977,1978,1981,1984,2005,2019 1985,2007,2018,2022
SpainBarcelona 5 3 1992,2006,2009,2011,2015 1961,1986,1994
NetherlandsAjax 4 2 1971,1972,1973,1995 1969,1996
ItalyInter Milan 3 3 1964,1965,2010 1967,1972,2023
EnglandManchester United 3 2 1968,1999,2008 2009,2011
ItalyJuventus 2 7 1985,1996 1973,1983,1997,1998,2003,2015,2017
PortugalBenfica 2 5 1961,1962 1963,1965,1968,1988,1990
EnglandChelsea 2 1 2012,2021 2008
EnglandNottingham Forest 2 0 1979,1980 —
PortugalPorto 2 0 1987,2004 —
GermanyBorussia Dortmund 1 2 1997 2013,2024
ScotlandCeltic 1 1 1967 1970
GermanyHamburger SV 1 1 1983 1980
RomaniaSteaua București 1 1 1986 1989
FranceMarseille 1 1 1993 1991
EnglandManchester City 1 1 2023 2021
NetherlandsFeyenoord 1 0 1970 —
EnglandAston Villa 1 0 1982 —
NetherlandsPSV Eindhoven 1 0 1988 —
Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaRed Star Belgrade 1 0 1991 —
SpainAtlético Madrid 0 3 — 1974,2014,2016
FranceReims 0 2 — 1956,1959
SpainValencia 0 2 — 2000,2001
ItalyFiorentina 0 1 — 1957
GermanyEintracht Frankfurt 0 1 — 1960
Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaPartizan 0 1 — 1966
GreecePanathinaikos 0 1 — 1971
EnglandLeeds United 0 1 — 1975
FranceSaint-Étienne 0 1 — 1976
GermanyBorussia Mönchengladbach 0 1 — 1977
BelgiumClub Brugge 0 1 — 1978
SwedenMalmö FF 0 1 — 1979
ItalyRoma 0 1 — 1984
ItalySampdoria 0 1 — 1992
GermanyBayer Leverkusen 0 1 — 2002
FranceMonaco 0 1 — 2004
EnglandArsenal 0 1 — 2006
EnglandTottenham Hotspur 0 1 — 2019
FranceParis Saint-Germain 0 1 — 2020

Performances by nation

Performances in finals by nation
Nation Titles Runners-up Total
Spain 20 11 31
England 15 11 26
Italy 12 17 29
Germany[a] 8 11 19
Netherlands 6 2 8
Portugal 4 5 9
France 1 6 7
Romania 1 1 2
Scotland 1 1 2
Yugoslavia[b] 1 1 2
Belgium 0 1 1
Greece 0 1 1
Sweden 0 1 1

Notes

  1. ^Includes clubs representingWest Germany.No clubs representingEast Germanyappeared in a final.
  2. ^Both Yugoslav final appearances were by clubs fromSR Serbia

Player records

Main article:European Cup and UEFA Champions League records and statistics § Players

Most wins

Paco Gento,first of the five players to have won the tournament on six occasions, appeared in eight finals.
Dani Carvajal,the only player with six titles who started in all the finals he won, alongsidePaco Gento.
Cristiano Ronaldoholds the record for the most match wins in the tournament.
No. of wins Player Club(s)
6 Paco Gento Real Madrid(1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1966)
Toni Kroos Bayern Munich(2013)
Real Madrid(2016,2017,2018,2022,2024)
Dani Carvajal Real Madrid(2014,2016,2017,2018,2022,2024)
Luka Modrić
Nacho
5 Juan Alonso Real Madrid(1956,1957,1958,1959,1960)
Rafael Lesmes
Marquitos
Héctor Rial
Alfredo Di Stéfano
José María Zárraga
Alessandro Costacurta AC Milan(1989,1990,1994,2003,2007)
Paolo Maldini
Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United(2008)
Real Madrid(2014,2016,2017,2018)
Gareth Bale Real Madrid(2014,2016,2017,2018,2022)
Karim Benzema
Casemiro
Isco
Marcelo
Lucas Vázquez Real Madrid(2016,2017,2018,2022,2024)
4 Joseíto Real Madrid(1956,1957,1958,1959)
Enrique Mateos Real Madrid(1957,1958,1959,1960)
Juan Santisteban
José Santamaría Real Madrid(1958,1959,1960,1966)
Phil Neal Liverpool(1977,1978,1981,1984)
Clarence Seedorf Ajax(1995)
Real Madrid(1998)
AC Milan(2003,2007)
Andrés Iniesta Barcelona(2006,2009,2011,2015)
Lionel Messi
Xavi
Gerard Piqué Manchester United(2008)
Barcelona(2009,2011,2015)
Sergio Ramos Real Madrid(2014,2016,2017,2018)
Raphaël Varane
Mateo Kovačić Real Madrid(2016,2017,2018)
Chelsea(2021)
David Alaba Bayern Munich(2013,2020)
Real Madrid(2022,2024)

Most appearances

Main article:List of footballers with 100 or more UEFA Champions League appearances
As of 1 June 2024[99][100]

Players that are still active in Europe are highlighted inboldface.
The table below does not include appearances made in the qualification stage of the competition.

Rank Player Nation Apps Years Club(s) (Apps)
1 Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal 183 2003–2022 Manchester United(59),Real Madrid(101),Juventus(23)
2 Iker Casillas Spain 177 1999–2019 Real Madrid(150),Porto(27)
3 Lionel Messi Argentina 163 2005–2023 Barcelona(149),Paris Saint-Germain(14)
4 Karim Benzema France 152 2005–2023 Lyon(19),Real Madrid(133)
5 Toni Kroos Germany 151 2008–2024 Bayern Munich(41),Real Madrid(110)
Thomas Müller Germany 2009– Bayern Munich
Xavi Spain 1998–2015 Barcelona
8 Sergio Ramos Spain 142 2005–2023 Real Madrid(129),Paris Saint-Germain(8),Sevilla(5)
Raúl Spain 1995–2011 Real Madrid(130),Schalke 04(12)
10 Ryan Giggs Wales 141 1993–2014 Manchester United

Most goals

Main article:List of UEFA Champions League top scorers
As of 1 June 2024[101][102]
A ‡ indicates the player was from the European Cup era.
Players that took part in the2023–24 UEFA Champions Leagueare highlighted inbold.
The table below does not include goals scored in the qualification stage of the competition.
Rank Player Goals Apps Ratio Years Club(s) (Goals/Apps)
1 PortugalCristiano Ronaldo 140 183 0.77 2003–2022 Manchester United(21/59),Real Madrid(105/101),Juventus(14/23)
2 ArgentinaLionel Messi 129 163 0.79 2005–2023 Barcelona(120/149),Paris Saint-Germain(9/14)
3 PolandRobert Lewandowski 94 120 0.78 2011– Borussia Dortmund(17/28),Bayern Munich(69/78),Barcelona(8/14)
4 FranceKarim Benzema 90 152 0.59 2005–2023 Lyon(12/19),Real Madrid(78/133)
5 SpainRaúl 71 142 0.50 1995–2011 Real Madrid(66/130),Schalke 04(5/12)
6 NetherlandsRuud van Nistelrooy 56 73 0.77 1998–2009 PSV Eindhoven(8/11),Manchester United(35/43),Real Madrid(13/19)
7 GermanyThomas Müller 54 151 0.36 2009– Bayern Munich
8 FranceThierry Henry 50 112 0.45 1997–2012 Monaco(7/9),Arsenal(35/77),Barcelona(8/26)
9 ArgentinaSpainAlfredo Di Stéfano‡ 49 58 0.84 1955–1964 Real Madrid
10 FranceKylian Mbappé 48 73 0.66 2016– Monaco(6/9),Paris Saint-Germain(42/64)
UkraineAndriy Shevchenko 48 100 0.48 1994–2012 Dynamo Kyiv(15/26),Milan(29/59),Chelsea(4/15)
SwedenZlatan Ibrahimović 48 124 0.39 2001–2021 Ajax(6/19),Juventus(3/19),Inter Milan(6/22),Barcelona(4/10),Milan(9/20),Paris Saint-Germain(20/33),Manchester United(0/1)

Awards

Player of the Season

Starting from the 2021–22 edition, UEFA introduced the UEFA Champions League Player of the Season award.

The jury is composed of the coaches of the clubs that participated in the group stage of the competition, as well as 55 journalists selected by theEuropean Sports Media(ESM) group, one from each UEFA member association.

Season Player Club
UEFA Champions League Player of the Season
2021–22 FranceKarim Benzema SpainReal Madrid
2022–23 SpainRodri EnglandManchester City
2023–24 BrazilVinícius Júnior SpainReal Madrid

Young Player of the Season

In the same season, UEFA also introduced the UEFA Champions League Young Player of the Season award.

Season Player Club
UEFA Champions League Young Player of the Season
2021–22 BrazilVinícius Júnior SpainReal Madrid
2022–23 Georgia (country)Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ItalyNapoli
2023–24 EnglandJude Bellingham SpainReal Madrid

See also

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