Champions League Schedules

Understanding the Champions League Schedule

The UEFA Champions League is the top-tier international club soccer competition in Europe. The Champions League is an annual league contested by 32 of Europe’s top club teams with a qualifying, group and knockout stage. Odds are ever-present, as there’s a match to bet on every month of the year, check on the Champions League full Schedule we have here.

There are 26 automatic qualifiers based on domestic league position and the winners of last season’s Champions and Europa leagues. However, there are also six places up for grabs, contested in five two-leg qualifying rounds from June to August.

The Group Stage is spread out over six matchdays from September to December and the knockout stage runs from February to May. Those looking to bet on the Champions League should be aware that teams typically play on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to avoid interference with domestic leagues, which usually run on weekends.

There are eight four-team Champions League groups. Each team plays a double round-robin with home and away matches vs. their group mates. Point spreads are typically released well before matches are due to be played. At the conclusion of the Group Stage, the top two teams in each group advance to the Round of 16.

The Champions League determines knockout stage matchups from the Round of 16 to semifinals by a random draw, with an exception in the round of 16. In the first knockout round, a group winner is always paired with a group runner-up.

The knockout stage follows a two-leg format in every round but the final. Teams play both home and away. At the end of two legs, the team with the higher aggregate score is the winner. In the event of a draw, the second leg features two extra-time periods of 15 minutes each and, if necessary, penalty kicks.

The final is typically played at a neutral European site on the last Saturday in May. The team that is crowned Champions League winner automatically qualifies for next season’s competition. Champions League futures odds are available shortly after the conclusion of the previous campaign.