The UEFA Champions League is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for the most successful football clubs in Europe. It is one of the most prestigious club trophies in football, possibly the most at club level. It has a global audience of more than 1 billion people (bigger than the SuperBowl)
The tournament was inaugurated in the 1955-1956 season as a competition for winners of the European national football leagues under the name of the European Cup, but since the 1992-1993 season the competing teams have been the top-ranked teams of Europe and the tournament has been renamed the Champions League, though the UEFA Champions League is not to be confused with the UEFA Cup, the second most important competition for European club teams. The switch from a standard cup format to the league based system increased the number of games that each team plays, also significantly increasing the opportunities for TV coverage.
It is possible to watch the Champions League over the internet in certain parts of the UK. BT Sports now have exclusive rights to all Champions League matches which is a great if you are a BT broadband customer however there are many areas of the British Isles that don’t have that option. Their only way of watching Champions League football is to pay for a BT Sports package on top of a Sky package, both of which have no offers for outlying areas of the UK. By selling those rights to BT Sport certain areas of the UK have almost been completely alienated from being able to afford to watch European club football, hence the ever growing popularity of alternative streaming sources.
Champions League - Upcoming Games
19 Sep 2024 - 17:45 Crvena Zvezda vs Benfica
19 Sep 2024 - 17:45 Feyenoord vs Bayer Leverkusen
19 Sep 2024 - 20:00 Atletico Madrid vs RB Leipzig
19 Sep 2024 - 20:00 Brest vs SK Sturm Graz
19 Sep 2024 - 20:00 Monaco vs Barcelona
19 Sep 2024 - 20:00 Atalanta vs Arsenal
Champions League Footy Gossip & Views
The new Champions League draw format eliminates the traditional group stage. Teams will be placed in four pots based on seeding and will play two teams from each pot, one home and one away. The draw software selects opponents to prevent teams from the same country facing each other. More top teams will play each other, increasing matches from 125 to 189. Top eight teams advance automatically, while 9th-24th compete in a play-off. The league phase now runs until January. Live coverage available on BBC platforms.
Changes to English Football League (EFL) match kick-off times, part of a new deal with Sky, may impact club attendances and local businesses in South Yorkshire, fans warn. While Sky and the EFL claim 5 months' notice for televised fixtures, concerns remain about the inconvenience and cost for fans, especially affecting attendance of away games and families. The oversaturation of TV football and potential loss of revenue for local businesses are key worries raised by supporters and businesses in the region.
Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland feels positive about the club's future direction after discussions with club leadership. He expressed confidence in their ambitions and his desire for success at Ibrox. Butland appreciates the open dialogue with directors to understand the club's vision. Manager Philippe Clement values Butland's commitment, highlighting the goalkeeper's endorsement as a positive sign for the team's progress. Their mutual understanding and alignment bode well for Rangers' upcoming season.
Live Champions League News
First there was Jadon Sancho, then there was Jude Bellingham. Is Jamie Gittens about to become Bo...
'The competition stops now. We play Bayern in the final..' (Sep 18, 2024 22:59)
Brendan Rodgers says his Celtic side's thumping 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava fuels their ambiti...
How Inzaghi's 'superb' Inter halted Pep's City with tactical masterclass (Sep 18, 2024 22:45)
Stephen Warnock, Joe Hart and Julien Laurens take a look at how Simone Inzaghi's tactics and Nico...