The 70th season of the UEFA Champions League kicks off today, featuring the first of eight matchdays in the revamped tournament.
This prestigious European club football event will showcase 36 top clubs from across the continent, giving fans increased chances to watch their favorite teams compete against some of the best in the sport.
Among the returning teams are last year’s champions Real Madrid, the 2023-24 runners-up Borussia Dortmund, and the 2022-23 titleholders Manchester City.
Here’s how viewers can catch every match of Matchday 1, along with the tournament’s new format details.
UEFA Champions League Matchday 1 Streaming Options:
In the United States, all UEFA Champions League matches will be streamed live on Paramount+. The most convenient way to access Paramount+ is via the Prime Video Channels add-on, available to all Amazon Prime subscribers.
This option allows Amazon Prime users to integrate multiple streaming services into a single application, costing the same $7.99/month with ads or $12.99/month without. A seven-day free trial is also offered, and new users can access a 30-day free trial for Amazon Prime.
Matchday 1 Schedule:
Every day of UCL Matchday 1 features six matches; two games start at 12:45 p.m. ET, while four matches commence at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Tuesday, September 17:
– Juventus vs. PSV, 12:45 p.m. ET
– Young Boys vs. Aston Villa, 12:45 p.m. ET
– Bayern München vs. GNK Dinamo, 3:00 p.m. ET
– AC Milan vs. Liverpool, 3:00 p.m. ET
– Real Madrid vs. Stuttgart, 3:00 p.m. ET
– Sporting CP vs. Lille, 3:00 p.m. ET
Wednesday, September 18:
– Bologna vs. Shakhtar, 12:45 p.m. ET
– Sparta Praha vs. Salzburg, 12:45 p.m. ET
– Club Brugge vs. Borussia Dortmund, 3:00 p.m. ET
– Celtic vs. ŠK Slovan Bratislava, 3:00 p.m. ET
– Manchester City vs. Inter Milan, 3:00 p.m. ET
– Paris vs. Girona, 3:00 p.m. ET
Thursday, September 19:
– Crvena Zvezda vs. Benfica, 12:45 p.m. ET
– Feyenoord vs. Leverkusen, 12:45 p.m. ET
– Atalanta vs. Arsenal, 3:00 p.m. ET
– Atleta vs. Leipzig, 3:00 p.m. ET
– Monaco vs. Barcelona, 3:00 p.m. ET
– Brest vs. Sturm Graz, 3:00 p.m. ET
New Format of the UEFA Champions League:
Starting from the 2024-25 season, the tournament will adopt a “Swiss” system, replacing the traditional group stage with a league phase. Rather than having teams organized into groups, each of the 36 participating teams will compete against eight different opponents—four at home and four away. Teams will be ranked in a single league, with the scoring system remaining consistent: three points for a win and one point for a draw.
This change aims to provide clubs with a broader competitive experience and offer fans more opportunities to witness high-profile matches earlier in the tournament. The top eight teams will automatically qualify for the Round of 16, while those ranked 9th through 24th will enter a playoff to secure the remaining knockout stage spots.
The new format will also be implemented in the Europa League and UEFA Conference League.
Upcoming UEFA Champions League Matchdays:
Matchday 2 of the UCL is set for Tuesday, October 1, and Wednesday, October 2.
Clubs Qualified for the 2024 UEFA Champions League:
– Arsenal (Premier League)
– Aston Villa (Premier League)
– Atalanta (Serie A)
– Atlético Madrid (La Liga)
– Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga)
– Barcelona (La Liga)
– Bayern München (Bundesliga)
– Benfica (Liga Portugal)
– Bologna (Serie A)
– Brest (Ligue 1)
– Celtic (Scottish Premiership)
– Club Brugge (Belgian Pro League)
– Crvena Zvezda (Serbian SuperLiga)
– Feyenoord (Eredivisie)
– Girona (La Liga)
– GNK Dinamo (Croatian Football League)
– Inter Milan (Serie A)
– Juventus (Serie A)
– Leipzig (Bundesliga)
– Leverkusen (Bundesliga)
– Lille (Ligue 1)
– Liverpool (Premier League)
– Manchester City (Premier League)
– AC Milan (Serie A)
– Monaco (Ligue 1)
– Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1)
– PSV Eindhoven (Eredivisie)
– Real Madrid (La Liga)
– Slovan Bratislava (Slovak Super Liga)
– Salzburg (Austrian Bundesliga)
– Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukrainian Premier League)
– Sparta Praha (Czech First League)
– Sporting CP (Liga Portugal)
– Sturm Graz (Austrian Bundesliga)
– Stuttgart (Bundesliga)
– Young Boys (Swiss Super League)