The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club football competition organised by the UEFA and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competition winners through a group and knockout format. It is one of the most prestigious football tournaments in the world and the most prestigious club competition in European football, played by the national league champions (and, for some nations, one or more runners-up) of their national associations. Introduced in 1955 as the European Champion Clubs’ Cup, commonly known as European Cup, it was initially a straight knockout tournament open only to the champions of Europe’s domestic leagues, with its winner reckoned as the European club champion. The competition took on its current name in 1992, adding a round-robin group stage and allowing multiple entrants from certain countries. It has since been expanded, and while most of Europe’s national leagues can still only enter their champion, the strongest leagues now provide up to four teams. The group stage is contested by 32 teams divided in 8 groups with 4 teams. Each team in the group play each other twice. The top two teams qualify for the knockout stage and the 3rd placed team qualify to Europa League round of 32.
UEFA Champions League 2020/21 Stadiums
