Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The UEFA Executive Committee has approved a new format for the UEFA Youth League starting in the 2024/25 season, aligning it with changes in the senior UEFA club competitions. The competition will feature 36 youth teams from clubs qualifying for the Champions League group phase, known as the Champions League path.
The Domestic Champions path will expand to include the youth champions from all UEFA member associations, rather than just the top 32. If a club qualifies for both the Champions League and Domestic Champions paths, it will compete in the Champions League path, with the domestic path vacancy filled by the association's runner-up.
The initial league stage will mirror the UEFA Champions League’s first six matchdays, with fixtures played in both the Youth League and Champions League—each team will have three home and three away matches. The Domestic Champions path will feature three knockout rounds played over two legs, with clubs from top-ranked associations entering in the second round.
After these stages, a single-leg knockout phase will begin from the round of 32. The top six ranked clubs from the Champions League path will face clubs ranked 17 to 22, while clubs ranked 7 to 16 will play against the ten clubs qualifying from the Domestic Champions path. Clubs ranked 23 and below in the Champions League path, and those eliminated in the Domestic Champions knockout rounds, will exit the competition.
The tournament will conclude with a final four event at a neutral venue, featuring semi-finals and a final. Draws will determine match pairings for the round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals.