The UEFA Champions League, often known as simply the Champions League or UCL, is an annual club association football competition for top-division European clubs. Developed and run by UEFA, the tournament is the most-watched club competition in the world, behind only the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Europa League. The prestigious event is contested by 32 teams from the top national leagues of Europe. The competition begins with a round-robin league phase, followed by double-legged knockout rounds. The final is played in a single-leg.
The UCL is the most prestigious club competition in the world, and its success has helped make European soccer one of the most popular sports worldwide. As a result, it has a tremendous global reach and is the most lucrative of all sporting events.
Unlike most other international competitions, the Champions League has two qualification’streams’ for clubs that don’t receive direct entry by winning their national league championship. These streams were established ahead of the 2024-25 changes to Champions League, and rely on a system of coefficients that ranks Europe’s national professional soccer leagues (or associations) and each of their member clubs.
The first UEFA Champions League was launched in 1955-56 with a field of sixteen champions from the various European football leagues. Real Madrid won the inaugural edition, and went on to win 15 more. They are the most successful team in Champions League history, and hold the record for most total wins. Other prominent winners include Barcelona, Ajax, Milan, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Dortmund. Real Madrid players such as Dani Carvajal and Paco Gento have appeared in six UCL finals, the most by any player.