The new Champions League format is not just reshaping European elite football. More and more clubs, schools and sports organisations are discovering that the same structure lets them build a fair, exciting and scalable tournament of their own. The result: more matches, more impact and a competition experience that pushes players to get the best out of themselves.

One shared league table

At its core, the format is simple. Instead of splitting teams into different groups through a draw, you create one competition with all teams in a single league table.

Whether you have 8, 16 or 36 teams, this approach works. Every team plays a set number of matches against different opponents. In the official Champions League this means eight matches per team, but for local tournaments four or six games per team is often enough.

Every point counts towards the standings:

• Win = 3 points
• Draw = 1 point
• Loss = 0 points

If teams finish level on points, goal difference and goals scored usually decide the ranking. At a glance you can see who is on top, who can still climb and who is fighting to stay in contention for the knockout stage.

Varied opponents

The real strength of the format lies in the variety of fixtures. Teams are knocked out less quickly and, for example, no longer face the same opponent twice in the group phase. The schedule brings fresh matchups every round, keeps things exciting, lets strong teams meet early and always leaves room for surprises.

You can set this up easily by generating the full schedule in advance. Unlike the Swiss system, fixtures in the Champions League format are fixed beforehand. Who plays whom is usually random within a few basic constraints. It helps to use software that automatically builds your pitch plan. Just like in the real Champions League, every match feels like a final.

The endgame

After the league phase you can end the tournament there and crown the winners. If you want to build towards a real climax, you can also add finals, just like in the Champions League.

The league table decides who goes where:

• The top teams qualify directly for the knockouts, typically with 4, 8 or 16 teams
• Teams in the middle of the table can play an extra play-off round for the last spots in the knockouts
• Lower-ranked teams are eliminated or play their own consolation round

Clear communication

Players, coaches and spectators should always know who they are playing, what time matches kick off, what the current standings are and how the rest of the tournament will unfold. That is why clear communication is essential.

With an easy-to-use tournament platform, you can offer this from day one. Your communication becomes consistent, professional and transparent. Less time is lost answering basic questions, so volunteers and coaches can focus on what really matters: guiding players and enjoying the matches.

The payoff

The Champions League format shows how a small change to the traditional group structure can lead to tighter games and higher engagement. By giving teams varied opponents, keeping the tension high with finals and communicating clearly, you create a tournament that everyone enjoys.

The best part is that you can replicate this entire format in Tournify. The platform supports league phases, play-offs and knockouts. Tournify generates clear schedules and keeps teams and fans informed.

Setting it up in Tournify:

1. Create a free tournament
2. Add all teams on the Participants page
3. Place all teams into one single group on the Structure page, ideally with an even number of teams
4. On the Schedule page, choose how many rounds you want. In each round, every team plays one match

That is all it takes to run your own tournament that feels like the Champions League.