The UEFA Champions League is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (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 in 1991 and allowing multiple entrants from certain countries since 1997. 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. Clubs that finish next-in-line in their national league, having not qualified for the Champions League, are eligible for the second-tier UEFA Europa League competition, and from 2021, teams not eligible for the UEFA Europa League will qualify for a new third-tier competition called the UEFA Europa Conference League.
In its present format, the Champions League begins in late June with a preliminary round, three qualifying rounds and a play-off round, all played over two legs. The six surviving teams enter the group stage, joining 26 teams qualified in advance. The 32 teams are drawn into eight groups of four teams and play each other in a double round-robin system. The eight group winners and eight runners-up proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match in late May or early June. The winner of the Champions League qualifies for the following year's Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. In 2020, the traditional schedule for UEFA matches was disrupted due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The format of the remainder of the tournament was temporarily amended as a result, with the quarter-finals and semi-finals being played as single match knockout ties at neutral venues in Lisbon, Portugal from 12 to 23 August.
Spanish clubs have the highest number of victories (18 wins), followed by England (13 wins) and Italy (12 wins). England has the largest number of winning teams, with five clubs having won the title. The competition has been won by 22 clubs, 12 of which have won it more than once and eight successfully defended their title. Real Madrid is the most successful club in the tournament's history, having won it 14 times, including its first five seasons. Only one club has won all of their matches in a single tournament en route to the tournament victory: Bayern Munich in the 2019–20 season.
List of finals games[]
| Season | Date | Venue | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955-56 | June 13, 1956 | Parc des Princes, Paris France | Real Madrid (Spain) | 4–3 | Reims (France) | |
| 1956-57 | May 30, 1957 | Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain | Real Madrid (Spain) | 2–0 | Fiorentina (Italy) | |
| 1957-58 | May 28, 1958 | Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium | Real Madrid (Spain) | 3–2 | Milan (Italy) | Match was won by Real Madrid during extra time. |
| 1958-59 | June 3, 1959 | Neckarstadion, Stuttgart, West Germany | Real Madrid (Spain) | 2–0 | Reims (France) | |
| 1959-60 | May 18, 1960 | Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland | Real Madrid (Spain) | 7–3 | Eintracht Frankfurt (West Germany) | |
| 1960-61 | May 31, 1961 | Wankdorf Stadium, Bern, Switzerland | Benfica (Portugal) | 3–2 | Barcelona (Spain) | |
| 1961-62 | May 2, 1962 | Olympisch Stadion, Amsterdam, Netherlands | Benfica (Portugal) | 5–3 | Real Madrid (Spain) | |
| 1962-63 | May 22, 1963 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Milan (Italy) | 2–1 | Benfica (Portugal) | |
| 1963-64 | May 27, 1964 | Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria | Inter Milan (Italy) | 3–1 | Real Madrid (Spain) | |
| 1964-65 | May 27, 1965 | San Siro, Milan, Italy | Inter Milan (Italy) | 1–0 | Benfica (Portugal) | |
| 1965-66 | May 11, 1966 | Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium | Real Madrid (Spain) | 2–1 | Partizan (Yugoslavia) | |
| 1966-67 | May 25, 1967 | Estádio Nacional, Lisbon, Portugal | Celtic (Scotland) | 2–1 | Inter Milan (Italy) | |
| 1967-68 | May 29, 1968 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Manchester United (England) | 1–4 | Benfica (Portugal) | Match was won by Manchester United during extra time. |
| 1968-69 | May 28, 1969 | Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain | Milan (Italy) | 4–1 | Ajax (Netherlands) | |
| 1969-70 | May 6, 1970 | San Siro, Milan, Italy | Feyenoord (Netherlands) | 2–1 | Celtic (Scotland) | Match was won by Feyenoord during extra time |
| 1970-71 | June 2, 1971 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Ajax (Netherlands) | 2–0 | Panathinaikos (Greece) | |
| 1971-72 | May 31, 1972 | De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands | Ajax (Netherlands) | 2–0 | Inter Milan (Italy) | |
| 1972-73 | May 30, 1973 | Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, Yugoslavia | Ajax (Netherlands) | 1–0 | Juventus (Italy) | |
| 1973-74 | May 15, 1974 | Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium | Bayern Munich (West Germany) | 4–0 | Atlético Madrid (Spain) | Match was won by Bayern Munich after a replay. |
| 1974-75 | May 28, 1975 | Parc des Princes, Paris, France | Bayern Munich (West Germany) | 2–0 | Leeds United (England) | |
| 1975-76 | May 12, 1976 | Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland | Bayern Munich (West Germany) | 1–0 | Saint-Étienne (France) | |
| 1976-77 | May 25, 1977 | Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy | Liverpool (England) | 3–1 | Borussia Mönchengladbach (West Germany) | |
| 1977-78 | May 10, 1978 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Liverpool (England) | 1–0 | Club Brugge (Belgium) | |
| 1978-79 | May 30, 1979 | Olympiastadion, Munich, West Germany | Nottingham Forest (England) | 1–0 | Malmö FF (Sweden) | |
| 1979-80 | May 28, 1980 | Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain | Nottingham Forest (England) | 1–0 | Hamburger SV (West Germany) | |
| 1980-81 | May 27, 1981 | Parc des Princes, Paris, France | Liverpool (England) | 1–0 | Real Madrid (Spain) | |
| 1981-82 | May 26, 1982 | Feijenoord Stadion, Rotterdam, Netherlands | Aston Villa (England) | 1–0 | Bayern Munich (West Germany) | |
| 1982-83 | May 25, 1983 | Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece | Hamburger SV (West Germany) | 1–0 | Juventus (Italy) | |
| 1983-84 | May 30, 1984 | Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy | Liverpool (England) | 1–1 | Roma (Italy) | Score was 1–1 after 90 minutes and extra time. Liverpool won the penalty shoot-out 4–2. |
| 1984-85 | May 29, 1985 | Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium | Juventus (Italy) | 1–0 | Liverpool (England) | Match notorious for the Heysel Stadium disaster, where Liverpool fans charged at Juventus fans, killing 39 people. |
| 1985-86 | May 7, 1986 | Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium, Seville, Spain | Steaua București (Romania) | 0–0 | Barcelona (Spain) | Score was 0–0 after 90 minutes and extra time. Steaua București won the penalty shoot-out 2–0. |
| 1986-87 | May 27, 1987 | Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria | Porto (Portugal) | 1–2 | Bayern Munich (West Germany) | |
| 1987-88 | May 25, 1988 | Neckarstadion, Stuttgart, West Germany | PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) | 0–0 | Benfica (Portugal) | Score was 0–0 after 90 minutes and extra time. PSV Eindhoven won the penalty shoot-out 6–5. |
| 1988-89 | May 24, 1989 | Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain | Milan (Italy) | 4–0 | Steaua București (Romania) | |
| 1989-90 | May 23, 1990 | Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria | Milan (Italy) | 1–0 | Benfica (Portugal) | |
| 1990-91 | May 29, 1991 | Stadio San Nicola, Bari, Italy | Red Star Belgrade (Yugoslavia) | 0–0 | Marseille (France) | Score was 0–0 after 90 minutes and extra time. Red Star Belgrade won the penalty shoot-out 5–3. |
| 1991-92 | May 20, 1992 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Barcelona (Spain) | 1–0 | Sampdoria (Italy) | Match was won by Barcelona during extra time. |
| 1992-93 | May 26, 1993 | Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany | Marseille (France) | 1–0 | Milan (Italy) | |
| 1993-94 | May 18, 1994 | Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece | Milan (Italy) | 4–0 | Barcelona (Spain) | |
| 1994-95 | May 24, 1995 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Ajax (Netherlands) | 1–0 | Milan (Italy) | |
| 1995-96 | May 22, 1996 | Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy | Juventus (Italy) | 1–1 | Ajax (Netherlands) | Score was 1–1 after 90 minutes and extra time. Juventus won the penalty shoot-out 4–2. |
| 1996-97 | May 28, 1997 | Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany | Borussia Dortmund (Germany) | 3–1 | Juventus (Italy) | |
| 1997-98 | May 20, 1998 | Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands | Real Madrid (Spain) | 1–0 | Juventus (Italy) | |
| 1998-99 | May 26, 1999 | Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain | Manchester United (England) | 2–1 | Bayern Munich (Germany) | |
| 1999-2000 | May 24, 2000 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France | Real Madrid (Spain) | 3–0 | Valencia (Spain) | |
| 2000-01 | May 23, 2001 | San Siro, Milan, Italy | Bayern Munich (Germany) | 1–1 | Valencia (Spain) | Score was 1–1 after 90 minutes and extra time. Bayern Munich won the penalty shoot-out 5–4. |
| 2001-02 | May 15, 2002 | Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland | Real Madrid (Spain) | 2–1 | Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) | |
| 2002-03 | May 28, 2003 | Old Trafford, Manchester, England | Milan (Italy) | 0–0 | Juventus (Italy) | Score was 0–0 after 90 minutes and extra time. A.C. Milan won the penalty shoot-out 3–2. |
| 2003-04 | May 26, 2004 | Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Porto (Portugal) | 3–0 | Monaco (France) | |
| 2004-05 | May 25, 2005 | Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey | Liverpool (England) | 3–3 | Milan (Italy) | Score was 3–3 after 90 minutes and extra time. Liverpool won the penalty shoot-out 3–2. |
| 2005-06 | May 17, 2006 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France | Barcelona (Spain) | 2–1 | Arsenal (England) | |
| 2006-07 | May 23, 2007 | Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece | Milan (Italy) | 2–1 | Liverpool (England) | |
| 2007-08 | May 21, 2008 | Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia | Manchester United (England) | 1–1 | Chelsea (England) | Score was 1–1 after 90 minutes and extra time. Manchester United won the penalty shoot-out 6–5. |
| 2008-09 | May 27, 2009 | Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy | Barcelona (Spain) | 2–0 | Manchester United (England) | |
| 2009-10 | May 22, 2010 | Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain | Inter Milan (Italy) | 2–0 | Bayern Munich (Germany) | |
| 2010-11 | May 28, 2011 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Barcelona (Spain) | 3–1 | Manchester United (England) | |
| 2011-12 | May 19, 2012 | Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany | Chelsea (England) | 1–1 | Bayern Munich (Germany) | Score was 1–1 after 90 minutes and extra time. Chelsea won the penalty shoot-out 4–3. |
| 2012-13 | May 25, 2013 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Bayern Munich (Germany) | 2–1 | Borussia Dortmund (Germany) | |
| 2013-14 | May 24, 2014 | Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal | Real Madrid (Spain) | 4–1 | Atlético Madrid (Spain) | Match was won by Real Madrid during extra time. |
| 2014-15 | June 6, 2015 | Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany | Barcelona (Spain) | 3–1 | Juventus (Italy) | |
| 2015-16 | May 28, 2016 | San Siro, Milan, Italy | Real Madrid (Spain) | 1–1 | Atlético Madrid (Spain) | Score was 1–1 after 90 minutes and extra time. Real Madrid won the penalty shoot-out 5–3. |
| 2016-17 | June 3, 2017 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | Real Madrid (Spain) | 4–1 | Juventus (Italy) | |
| 2017-18 | May 26, 2018 | NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kyiv, Ukraine | Real Madrid (Spain) | 3–1 | Liverpool (England) | |
| 2018-19 | June 1, 2019 | Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid, Spain | Liverpool (England) | 2–0 | Tottenham Hotspur (England) | |
| 2019-20 | August 23, 2020 | Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal | Bayern Munich (Germany) | 1–0 | Paris Saint-Germain (France) | Finals match was originally planned to be held at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, but was moved to Lisbon, Portugal due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. |
| 2020-21 | May 29, 2021 | Estádio do Dragão, Porto, Portugal | Chelsea (England) | 1–0 | Manchester City (England) | Finals match was originally planned to be held at the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia, but was moved to the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, which was moved again to Porto, Portugal due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. |
| 2021-22 | May 28, 2022 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France | Real Madrid (Spain) | 1–0 | Liverpool (England) | Finals match was originally planned to be held at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, but was moved to the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia, which was moved again to Saint-Denis, France due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. |
| 2022-23 | June 10, 2023 | Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey | Manchester City (England) | 1–0 | Inter Milan (Italy) | Finals match was originally planned to be held at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, but was moved to Istanbul, Turkey with Munich instead hosting the 2025 final. |
| 2023-24 | June 1, 2024 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | TBA | v. | TBA | |
| 2024-25 | May 31, 2025 | Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany | TBA | v. | TBA |
Club performances[]
| Club | Location | Home ground | Seasons won | Seasons runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid | Madrid, Spain | Santiago Bernabéu Stadium | 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022 | 1962, 1964, 1981 |
| Milan | Milan, Italy | San Siro | 1963, 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007 | 1958, 1993, 1995, 2005 |
| Bayern Munich | Munich, Bavaria, Germany | Allianz Arena | 1974, 1975, 1976, 2001, 2013, 2020 | 1982, 1987, 1999, 2010, 2012 |
| Liverpool | Liverpool, England | Anfield | 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005, 2019 | 1985, 2007, 2018, 2022 |
| Barcelona | Barcelona, Spain | Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys | 1992, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015 | 1961, 1986, 1994 |
| Ajax | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Johan Cruyff Arena | 1971, 1972, 1973, 1995 | 1969, 1996 |
| Inter Milan | Milan, Italy | San Siro | 1964, 1965, 2010 | 1967, 1972, 2023 |
| Manchester United | Manchester, England | Old Trafford | 1968, 1999, 2008 | 2009, 2011 |
| Juventus | Turin, Italy | Juventus Stadium | 1985, 1996 | 1973, 1983, 1997, 1998, 2003, 2015, 2017 |
| Benfica | Lisbon, Portugal | Estádio da Luz | 1961, 1962 | 1963, 1965, 1968, 1988, 1990 |
| Chelsea | London, England | Stamford Bridge | 2012, 2021 | 2008 |
| Nottingham Forest | West Bridgford, England | City Ground | 1979, 1980 | - |
| Porto | Porto, Portugal | Estádio do Dragão | 1987, 2004 | - |
| Celtic | Glasgow, Scotland | Celtic Park | 1967 | 1970 |
| Hamburger SV | Hamburg, Germany | Volksparkstadion | 1983 | 1980 |
| Steaua București | Bucharest, Romania | Stadionul Steaua | 1986 | 1989 |
| Marseille | Marseille, France | Stade Vélodrome | 1993 | 1991 |
| Borussia Dortmund | Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany | Signal Iduna Park | 1997 | 2013 |
| Manchester City | Manchester, England | City of Manchester Stadium | 2023 | 2021 |
| Feyenoord | Rotterdam, Netherlands | De Kuip | 1970 | - |
| Aston Villa | Birmingham, England | Villa Park | 1982 | - |
| PSV Eindhoven | Eindhoven, Netherlands | Philips Stadion | 1988 | - |
| Red Star Belgrade | Belgrade, Yugoslavia (currently Belgrade, Serbia) | Rajko Mitić Stadium | 1991 | - |
| Atlético Madrid | Madrid, Spain | Metropolitano Stadium | - | 1974, 2014, 2016 |
| Reims | Reims, France | Stade Auguste-Delaune | - | 1956, 1959 |
| Valencia | Valencia, Spain | Mestalla Stadium | - | 2000, 2001 |
| Fiorentina | Florence, Italy | Stadio Artemio Franchi | - | 1957 |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany | Deutsche Bank Park | - | 1960 |
| Partizan | Belgrade, Yugoslavia (currently Belgrade, Serbia) | Partizan Stadium | - | 1966 |
| Panathinaikos | Athens, Greece | Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium | - | 1971 |
| Leeds United | Leeds, England | Elland Road | - | 1975 |
| Saint-Étienne | Saint-Étienne, France | Stade Geoffroy-Guichard | - | 1976 |
| Borussia Mönchengladbach | Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany | Borussia-Park | - | 1977 |
| Club Brugge | Bruges, Belgium | Jan Breydel Stadium | - | 1978 |
| Malmö FF | Malmö, Sweden | Eleda Stadion | - | 1979 |
| Roma | Rome, Italy | Stadio Olimpico | - | 1984 |
| Sampdoria | Genoa, Italy | Stadio Luigi Ferraris | - | 1992 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany | BayArena | - | 2002 |
| Monaco | Fontvieille, Monaco | Stade Louis-II | - | 2004 |
| Arsenal | London, England | Emirates Stadium | - | 2006 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | London, England | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | - | 2019 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | Paris, France | Parc des Princes | - | 2020 |
Broadcasters[]
for the 2021–2024 seasons
| Country | Networks |
|---|---|
| Baltic countries | Nordic Entertainment Group |
| Caribbean | Flow Sports, SportsMax |
| Central America | ESPN |
| Central Asia | Saran Media |
| Indian subcontinent | Sony Pictures Networks |
| Middle East and North Africa | beIN Sports |
| Pacific Islands | Digicel |
| South America | ESPN |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | SuperSport, Canal+ Afrique |
| Albania | RTSH, Tring |
| Andorra | Movistar+ |
| Armenia | Vivaro Media |
| Australia | Stan Sport |
| Austria | Servus TV, Sky Sport, DAZN |
| Azerbaijan | CBC Sport |
| Belarus | Belteleradio, UEFA.tv |
| Belgium | Proximus, RTL, DPG Media |
| Bolivia | Bolivisión |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Arena Sport |
| Brazil | SBT, WarnerMedia |
| Brunei | beIN Sports |
| Bulgaria | bTV, Max Sport |
| Cambodia | beIN Sports |
| Canada | DAZN |
| China | PPTV, iQIYI, Tencent, Youku |
| Croatia | HRT, Arena Sport |
| Cyprus | CYTA |
| Czech Republic | Nova Sport, Premier Sport |
| Denmark | Nordic Entertainment Group |
| Dominican Republic | Antena 7 |
| Ecuador | RTS |
| El Salvador | TCS |
| Finland | TV4 Media |
| France | beIN Sports, Canal+, RMC Sport, TF1 |
| Georgia | Adjarasport, Silk Sport |
| Germany | DAZN, Amazon Prime Video, ZDF |
| Greece | Cosmote TV, Mega Channel |
| Guatemala | Chapin TV |
| Haiti | Canal+ |
| Honduras | Televicentro |
| Hong Kong | beIN Sports, PCCW |
| Hungary | MTVA, AMC Networks International Central Europe |
| Iceland | Nordic Entertainment Group, Sýn |
| Indonesia | Emtek |
| Ireland | LiveScore, BT Sport, RTÉ, Virgin Media |
| Israel | Sports Channel |
|
Italy |
Amazon Prime Video, Sky Sport, Mediaset |
| Japan | WOWOW |
| Kazakhstan | Qazsport, Q Sport |
| Kosovo | Art Sport, Klan Kosova, Arena Sport |
| Kyrgyzstan | Q Sport |
| Laos | beIN Sports |
|
Luxembourg |
RTL, Proximus |
| Macau | TDM |
| Malaysia | beIN Sports |
| Malta | PBS, Total Sports Network |
| Moldova | Prime, Setanta Sports |
| Mongolia | SPS |
| Montenegro | Arena Sport |
| Myanmar | Canal+ |
| Netherlands | RTL, Ziggo |
|
New Zealand |
Spark Sport |
|
North Macedonia |
Arena Sport, MRT |
| Norway | TV 2 |
| Philippines | TAP DMV |
| Poland | TVP, Polsat |
| Portugal | Eleven Sports |
| Romania | Digi Sport, Look Sport, Telekom Sport |
| Russia | Match TV |
| Serbia | Arena Sport |
| Singapore | beIN Sports |
| Slovakia | Nova Sport, Premier Sport |
| Slovenia | Pro Plus, Sport Klub |
| South Africa | SuperSport |
| South Korea | SPOTV |
| Spain | Movistar+ |
| Sweden | TV4 Media |
| Switzerland | Teleclub, CH Media |
| Taiwan | ELTA |
| Tajikistan | Varzish TV |
| Thailand | beIN Sports |
| Turkey | Exxen, Saran Media, TV8,5, TV8 |
| Ukraine | MEGOGO |
| United Kingdom | BT Sport |
| United States | CBS, Univision |
| Uzbekistan | MTRK |
| Venezuela | TLT |
|
Vietnam |
FPT |