Champions League Revamped: 34 Clubs Join PSV and Feyenoord in Inaugural Season

A New Era for Europe's Elite Competition

The UEFA Champions League is set to undergo a major transformation in the 2024-25 season, with a new format that will see 34 clubs participate in the tournament.

Key Changes to the Format

• The number of teams qualifying for the group stage will increase from 32 to 34.
• A new "wild card" round will be introduced, with two teams earning spots in the group stage based on their coefficient ranking.
• The group stage will be expanded from 8 groups of 4 teams to 4 groups of 8 teams.

Participating Clubs

The 34 clubs that will compete in the first season of the revamped Champions League include:

• Netherlands: PSV and Feyenoord
• Spain: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Sevilla
• England: Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur
• Italy: Juventus, Milan, Inter Milan, Napoli, Atalanta
• Germany: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt
• France: Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Lyon
• Portugal: Porto, Benfica, Sporting CP
• Ukraine: Shakhtar Donetsk
• Russia: Zenit Saint Petersburg (suspended due to sanctions)
• Austria: Red Bull Salzburg
• Belgium: Club Brugge
• Czech Republic: Slavia Prague
• Denmark: FC Copenhagen
• Greece: Olympiacos
• Hungary: Ferencvaros
• Israel: Maccabi Haifa
• Moldova: Sheriff Tiraspol
• Norway: Molde
• Poland: Lech Poznan
• Romania: CFR Cluj
• Scotland: Celtic
• Serbia: Crvena Zvezda
• Sweden: Malmö FF
• Switzerland: FC Basel
• Turkey: Trabzonspor
• Cyprus: APOEL Nicosia
• Kazakhstan: Astana
• Azerbaijan: Qarabag

Implications for PSV and Feyenoord

The expansion of the Champions League could provide a significant boost to PSV and Feyenoord, who have both struggled to consistently qualify for the competition in recent years.

With two additional group stage spots available, the Dutch clubs will have a better chance of securing automatic qualification.

The new "wild card" round could also benefit PSV and Feyenoord, as they could potentially qualify for the group stage even if they do not finish in the top four of the Eredivisie.