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Champions League Bracket Maker - 16-Team Knockout Stage

Fill in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage. From the 2024-25 season onwards, the competition uses a 36-team league phase (each team plays 8 matches against 8 different opponents in a single Swiss-style league table) followed by a 16-team knockout-stage bracket. The top 8 in the league phase advance directly; teams ranked 9 to 24 play a knockout-round playoff for the remaining 8 places.

The Post-2024 Format

League Phase to Knockout

  • -36 teams in a single league table
  • -Each team plays 8 matches against 8 different opponents (4 home, 4 away)
  • -Teams ranked 1 to 8 advance directly to the Round of 16
  • -Teams ranked 9 to 24 play a two-leg knockout-round playoff (16 teams playing for 8 spots)
  • -Teams ranked 25 to 36 are eliminated
  • -The 16-team knockout stage is then a standard bracket: Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Final

Knockout-Stage Match Count

Round of 168 ties (16 matches)
Quarterfinals4 ties (8 matches)
Semifinals2 ties (4 matches)
Final1 match (single-leg)
Total ties15
Total matches29

Two-Leg Format and Aggregate Score

Every Champions League knockout tie except the Final is decided over two legs (home-and-away). The aggregate score across both legs decides the winner. If the aggregate is level after the second leg, the match goes to extra time, then a penalty shootout if still level.

UEFA abolished the away-goals rule from the 2021-22 season onwards. Before that, if the aggregate was level, the team that scored more away goals advanced. From 2021-22 the rule was removed, and ties go straight to extra time and penalties if level on aggregate.

Final Is a Single Match

The Champions League Final is a single match at a neutral venue announced years in advance. If the match is level after 90 minutes, it goes to two 15-minute halves of extra time, then a penalty shootout if still tied. No replay, no second leg.

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Updated 11 May 2026