How Do Football Leagues Work? (2024/25 Guide)

Football competitions are the backbone of the sport, providing fans with excitement, drama, and memorable moments throughout the season. But understanding the structure of different leagues and tournaments can be confusing, especially with recent changes to formats in European competitions like the Champions League. In this blog, we’ll answer the question: How do football leagues work? Covering everything from domestic leagues to international tournaments.

How Domestic Leagues Work

Domestic leagues are country-specific competitions that run over a season, typically from August to May. Teams play each other in a round-robin format (every team plays every team home and away), accumulating points throughout the season, getting three points for a win, one point for a draw and zero points for a loss. Here’s a breakdown of the main domestic leagues in Europe: Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga

1. Premier League (England)

• Teams: 20
• Matches: Each team plays 38 matches, both home and away.
• Point System: 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss.
• Goal: The team with the most points wins the league and the top four teams qualify for the Champions League league phase. The number 5 qualifies for the Europa League league phase and the number 6 qualifies for the qualification for the Conference League league phase.
• Relegation: The bottom three teams drop to the EFL Championship (England’s second division).

2. La Liga (Spain)

• Similar to the Premier League, with 20 teams and a 38-game season.
• The team with the most points wins the league and the top four teams qualify for the Champions League league phase. The number 5 qualifies for the Europa League league phase and the number 6 qualifies for the qualification for the Conference League league phase.
• The bottom three relegate to the LaLiga2 (Spain’s second division).

3. Bundesliga (Germany) and Serie A (Italy)

• Both leagues also follow a similar points system. However, the Bundesliga has only 18 teams, making for a 34-match season.
• For both the Bundesliga and Serie A the top four teams will qualify for the Champions League league phase, the fifth place will qualify for the Europa League league phase and the number six will qualify for the qualifications of the Conference League league phase.
• For the Bundesliga, the two bottom teams will instantly drop to the 2.Bundesliga. The number 1 and 2 of the 2.Bundesliga will get promotion to the Bundesliga and the number 3 will play against the second to last place of the Bundesliga, this match will decide who will play in the Bundesliga the next season.

How Do Football Leagues Work? The European Leagues

European competitions feature top teams from domestic leagues across the continent. UEFA oversees three main tournaments: the Champions League (CL), Europa League (EL), and Europa Conference League (ECL). For the 2024/25 season, these tournaments have new formats designed to add more excitement and competition.

1. UEFA Champions League

The Champions League is Europe’s highest club competition, featuring top teams from each country. This season, the tournament has shifted from the traditional group-stage format to a ‘Swiss-style league’:

• Participants: 36 teams in a single league.
• Format: Each team plays eight different opponents, four home and four away.
• Advancement: The top 24 teams qualify for further rounds, with the top eight advancing directly to the Round of 16. Teams ranked 9th to 24th enter a playoff to secure the remaining spots in the Round of 16. They play against one opponent, one home game and one away game.
• Final: A one-leg knockout matche determine the tournament champion in the final of the Champions League.

2. UEFA Europa League

The Europa League, the second-tier European competition, has also adopted the Swiss-style league format:

• Participants: 36 teams in a league format.
• Matches: Each team plays six games against different opponents.
• Advancement: The top 24 teams qualify for further rounds, with the top eight advancing directly to the Round of 16. Teams ranked 9th to 24th enter a playoff to secure the remaining spots in the Round of 16. They play against one opponent, one home game and one away game.
• Final: A one-leg knockout matche determine the tournament champion in the final of the Champions League.

3. UEFA Europa Conference League

The ECL is UEFA’s newest tournament, introduced to give clubs from smaller nations a chance to compete at the European level.

• Format: Similar to the Europa League, with six games per team in the league stage.
• Advancement: The top 24 teams qualify for further rounds, with the top eight advancing directly to the Round of 16. Teams ranked 9th to 24th enter a playoff to secure the remaining spots in the Round of 16. They play against one opponent, one home game and one away game.
• Final: A one-leg knockout matche determine the tournament champion in the final of the Champions League.

Knockout Stages in European Competitions

After the league stage, the knockout rounds begin. Each round is played over two legs (home and away) except for the final, which is a single match held at a neutral venue. Aggregate scoring determines the winner over two legs, with away goals no longer serving as a tiebreaker, as per recent UEFA rule changes. For example: Liverpool draws Real Madrid 1-1 at home and win 0-1 away in Madrid; Liverpool will go through due to a total of a 2 vs 1 scoreline.

If the total scoreline of the two games is a draw, there will be extra time; 30 minutes divided in two halfs. If the result is still equal, each team will take 5 penalties and the team with the most scored, goes through.

How International Club Tournaments Work

International tournaments like the FIFA Club World Cup also play a part in the football calendar. The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will feature an expanded format with more teams, highlighting the champions from each continent, plus additional invited clubs from major leagues.

Promotion and Relegation in Domestic Leagues

How do football leagues work? Promotion and Relegation are a unique feature of the domestic leagues

• Top Leagues: Teams that finish at the bottom are relegated to a lower division.
• Second-Tier Leagues: The best teams are promoted to the top division, adding new faces each season and keeping competition fierce.

For example:

• In the Premier League, the bottom three teams are relegated to the EFL Championship, while the top three teams in the EFL Championship are promoted to the Premier League.

How Football Competitions Differ Outside Europe

While Europe is home to the most well-known leagues, other continents follow slightly different structures. How do football leagues work? Outside of Europe:

• Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States follows a playoff system after a regular season, like the NBA.
• Brazilian Serie A also follows a league structure similar to European leagues but often features multiple competitions running simultaneously.

Conclusion: Football Competitions in 2024/25

The 2024/25 season promises to be entertaining, with new formats in European competitions adding to the excitement. Whether you’re following your favorite domestic league or rooting for a team in the Champions League, understanding these structures helps deepen your appreciation for the game. We hope to have answered the question: How do football leagues work? In this blog.

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