Frank Christian
The UEFA Champions League for the 2024/25 season introduces notable changes to its format after nearly 20 years.
From this season onward, the initial phase of the competition features a “league phase” rather than a conventional group stage. This means all 36 participating teams are ranked collectively in a league table, with only the top eight teams assured a place in the knockout rounds.
This new structure will expand the first phase of matches to eight matchdays, up from the previous six in the prior group format. Consequently, the specific teams advancing to the first knockout round will not be determined until mid-February, following playoffs for the last eight spots in the Round of 16.
What implications does this new format have for the kickoff times of matches? The Sporting News provides clarification.
Kickoff Times for the UEFA Champions League
Champions League matches in the 2024/25 season will generally begin at either 6:45 p.m. CET (Central European Time) or 9:00 p.m. CET, applicable to both the league phase and knockout stage.
Kickoff Times During the League Phase
According to UEFA regulations, all matches during the league phase are set to start within these two fixed time slots: 6:45 p.m. CET and 9:00 p.m. CET.
On each matchday, two games will kick off at the earlier time on both Tuesday and Wednesday, with an additional two matches scheduled for that time on Thursday during Matchday 1 of the season. The remainder of the matches will occur at 9:00 p.m., unless exceptions are permitted by UEFA.
On the last matchday of the league phase, all games will start simultaneously at 9:00 p.m. CET on Wednesday, January 29, to maintain competitive integrity.
Below is a breakdown of how these time slots correspond to major regions.
League Phase Kickoff Times 2024/25
| 6:45 p.m. CET | 9:00 p.m. CET | |
| USA | 12:45 p.m. ET | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| Canada | 12:45 p.m. ET | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| UK | 5:45 p.m. BST | 8:00 p.m. BST |
| Australia | 2:30 a.m. AEDT* | 5:00 a.m. AEDT* |
| India | 10:15 p.m. IST | 12:30 a.m. IST* |
*Next day
Knockout Phase Match Start Times
The Round of 16 in the knockout stage follows the same schedule for kickoff times as in the league phase, with games starting at either 6:45 p.m. CET or 9:00 p.m. CET, except where UEFA allows deviations.
All quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final will exclusively kick off at 9:00 p.m., unless UEFA provides alternative permission.
Knockout Phase Match Times 2024/25
Round of 16:
| 6:45 p.m. CET | 9:00 p.m. CET | |
| USA | 12:45 p.m. ET | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| Canada | 12:45 p.m. ET | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| UK | 5:45 p.m. BST | 8:00 p.m. BST |
| Australia | 2:30 a.m. AEDT* | 5:00 a.m. AEDT* |
| India | 10:15 p.m. IST | 12:30 a.m. IST* |
*Next day
Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Final:
| 9:00 p.m. CET | |
| USA | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| Canada | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| UK | 8:00 p.m. BST |
| Australia | 5:00 a.m. AEDT* |
| India | 12:30 a.m. IST* |
*Next day
Viewing the 2024/25 Champions League Worldwide
| TV Channel | Streaming Options | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | — | Stan Sport |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| India | Sony TEN | JioTV, Sony LIV |
| UK | TNT Sports | discovery+, Amazon Prime |
| USA | CBS, CBSSN, Univision, TUDN, UniMas |
Fubo, Paramount+, ViX or ViX+ |
Purchasing Tickets for the 2024/25 Champions League
Tickets for matches, apart from the final, are generally not available for direct purchase through UEFA.
Instead, participating clubs manage primary ticket sales, enabling fans to conveniently buy tickets just like for other events.
After initial distribution, fans can find tickets in the secondary market, with StubHub International being a top option for Champions League tickets.
