UEFA Youth League. The tournament in the 2024/2025 season will be held in a new format

29.01.2024 16:25

Photo by uefa.com

The UEFA Executive Committee has approved the format of the UEFA Youth League, which will take effect from the 2024/2025 season.

UEFA 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 participate in it, representing the clubs of the main tournament of the UEFA Champions League 2024/2025 (Champions League Path). The path of national champions is being reformed in such a way that it will include the winners of the youth championships of all UEFA associations (currently only the top 32 associations participate in the tournament).

If a club enters the Champions League Pathway and Country Champions Pathway tournament, it will automatically be sent to the Champions League Pathway. The vacated place in the Path of Champions of Countries will be occupied by the winner of the second place of the respective championship.

The winner of the UEFA Youth League automatically enters the Champions League Path if they did not qualify for the tournament through the Champions League Path.

Initial stages

The League stage will mirror the same stage as the Champions League, but will be limited to the first six matchdays (three home matches and three away matches).

The tournament in the Path of Champions of Nations will consist of three rounds in the playoff system with two-match confrontations (home and away). Clubs from the highest ranked associations will start the tournament from the second round.

Playoffs

After the completion of the mentioned rounds, starting from the 1/16 final stage, playoffs will be held. The winner of each confrontation will be determined by the results of one match. Clubs ranked 1-6 (Champions League Path) will play against clubs ranked 1-16 in the 17/22 finals. Clubs with a rating of 7-16 will meet in the 1/16 finals with teams that have passed the selection in the Path of Champions of Countries.

Clubs ranked 23 and below in the Champions League Path will leave the tournament, as will those who lose in the Champions League head-to-head matches. The tournament will end with a final stage involving four teams (semi-finals and final), which will be played on a neutral field.

Pairs of the 1/8th, 1/4th and 1/2 finals will be determined by lot.

Dates of draws and matches

Champions League Path: League Stage

Draw: August 29.

Round 1: September 17-19.

Round 2: October 1/2.

Round 3: October 22/23.

Round 4: November 5/6.

Round 5: November 26/27.

Round 6: December 10/11.

The path of national champions

Draw: September 3.

1th round

First leg: September 18.

Second leg: October 2.

2th round

First leg: October 23.

Second leg: November 6.

3th round

First leg: November 27.

Second leg: December 11.

Playoffs

Draw of the 1/16 finals: December 20.

We will remind you that Ukraine was represented by two clubs in the current draw of the UEFA Youth League. Shakhtar Donetsk could not leave the Champions League Road group, and Lviv "Rukh" stopped in the second round of the Path of the Champions of Countries.