UEFA Champions League
Uefa Champions League group stage resumes this week with much at stake for all teams
The Champions League group stage moves into the final two rounds of matches on Tuesday with the results also affecting entries to other international competitions this season and next.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Next season’s Champions League. This season’s Europa League knockout rounds. They’re are effectively in play right now.
That gives extra incentive even to those teams which have already advanced to the Champions League round of 16 in February — Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Real Sociedad, Leipzig — to keep pushing for the best possible results. Likewise for the six teams already out of contention: Benfica, Red Star Belgrade, Antwerp, Salzburg, Union Berlin, Young Boys.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
The first priority is trying to earn one of the 10 remaining places in the Champions League round-of-16 draw on Dec. 18.
Napoli would advance with a win Wednesday at Madrid, the already qualified Group C leader, though likely must wait for a final game showdown hosting Braga on Dec. 12.
Arsenal will go through with just a draw Wednesday at home to Lens in Group B, and Atletico Madrid can advance with a win at Feyenoord on Tuesday in Group E.
Everything is open in the fascinating Group F where Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Newcastle can still finish in any position from first to last. On Tuesday, PSG hosts Newcastle and Milan hosts Dortmund.
It’s equally tight between Manchester United, Galatasaray and Copenhagen to finish second behind Group A winner Bayern.
Galatasaray hosting Man United on Wednesday could be the highest-stakes Champions League game of the week, with implications for each club and their respective countries. A loss for either team in Istanbul raises the risk of finishing last in the group which would mean no European football in February.
Third-place finishers in each Champions League group next month continue playing in February. Those eight teams move across to the Europa League knockout playoffs, which also are drawn on Dec. 18.
For English soccer, it is a problem if Man United and Newcastle remain last in their groups and play no European games for the rest of the season.
BONUS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLACES
Expanding the Champions League next season in a new 36-team format means four more teams qualifying and two more guaranteed games for each in a single-standings league phase.
Two of the four extra entries will go to the countries whose teams collectively have the best overall record in this season’s European competitions.
When UEFA confirmed this policy last year, England and Spain were predicted to earn those bonus places that would then be given to fifth-place finishers in the Premier League and La Liga. After all, English and Spanish clubs win most European trophies.
Right now, however, Turkey and Belgium are in line for those bonus entries. Clubs from those countries have the best average total of UEFA ranking points this season – 8.75 and 8.40, respectively.
In Turkey that’s because Galatasaray advanced through three qualifying rounds to get into a Champions League group — where it beat Man United at Old Trafford — and Fenerbahce has won nine games since July in the third-tier Europa Conference League.
All three Belgian clubs in the Conference League – Brugge, Gent and Genk – are unbeaten through four rounds, compensating for Antwerp’s struggles in the Champions League.
England and Spain also trail Germany and Italy in the ranking points standings and can ill afford having Man United, Newcastle and Sevilla sit last in Champions League groups.
CLUB WORLD CUP
The relaunched FIFA Club World Cup tournament with 32 teams – 12 from Europe – is played at the end of next season in the United States.
If June 2025 seems a long way off, Champions League results this season are helping to decide which teams advance to what should be a huge brand-building opportunity every four years. FIFA also will pay tens of millions of prize money dollars.
Soccer’s world governing body has not yet confirmed the exact entry path. That could happen at a meeting in Saudi Arabia next month.
Manchester City, Real Madrid and Chelsea are in the Club World Cup as the past three winners of the Champions League. The European champion this season also gets a place.
That leaves eight or nine entries from a yet-to-be-finalized formula that should reward teams for being consistently good in the four Champions League seasons from 2020-24.
FIFA has limited countries to two teams entering with exceptions only for Champions League winners. So Arsenal, Man United or Newcastle must win the final at Wembley Stadium on June 1 to be in the U.S. one year later.
Champions League regulars like Bayern and PSG can be confident they will be at the 2025 Club World Cup. For the rest, each result in this group stage matters more.
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UEFA Champions League
TikTokers spend 27 hours in stadium toilet to watch Champions League final for free
A pair of Belgian TikTokers say they spent 27 hours in an Allianz Arena toilet last weekend before watching Paris St Germain beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final for free.
Neal Remmerie and Senne Haverbeke told VRT News they managed to get into the Munich stadium the day before the match and hid in a toilet cubicle.
After sticking a homemade “Out of Order” sign on the door, the pair waited in silence for more than a day as stadium staff used the facility.
“We had a backpack with snacks and we played around on our phones to kill time,” Remmerie told the Belgian public broadcaster.
“The lights were on all the time and the sitting position was uncomfortable, so sleeping was almost impossible. That made it physically and mentally difficult.”
Once they heard fans starting to use the toilets on matchday, the pair left their bolthole and made their way past ticket inspectors to join the 86,600 crowd in the stands.
“We looked carefully at which security guard was paying the least attention. While on the phone and with food in our hands, we just walked on, and suddenly we were inside,” Remmerie added.
“PSG won 5-0 and we were also in the supporters’ section of the winning team. It was the most beautiful football match we have ever seen.”
The Allianz Arena and UEFA did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Those fans who made their way into the match more conventionally had to pay anywhere from 90 to 950 euros ($100-$1,100) for their tickets.
-Reuters
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UEFA Champions League
How Heineken Scored a Five-Star UEFA Champions League Experience for Nigerian Fans
Indeed, it was an evening where football merged with lifestyle. Nigerian music stars Fido and Wande Coal brought their A-game, performing crowd favourites that had fans singing along and dancing well into the night.
Their live performances added vibrant colour to an already electrifying evening, keeping the energy alive after the final whistle.
Hard core fans cut across gender, as displayed by the ladies during the Heineken Watch Party in at the Lagos Continental Hotel last Saturday
Adding star power to the experience was ex-Super Eagles striker Julius Aghahowa, who mingled freely with guests, posed for pictures, and shared expert insight on the game, delighting fans with his presence and personal touch.
“This year’s UEFA Champions League final is not just a match—it’s a cultural moment,” said Maria Shadeko, Portfolio Manager for Premium Beer at Nigerian Breweries. “We’re blending world-class football with unforgettable lifestyle experiences. Through our activities, we’re celebrating the real hardcore fans—the ones who make the game magical from wherever they are.”
Shadeko added that Heineken’s goal is to ensure Nigerian fans feel seen and celebrated. “They may not be in Munich, but they’re just as important to the spirit of the game. That’s why we go all out—every year—to make this night one to remember.”
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The roar of the crowd, the thrill of every shot, and the ultimate victory! Last Saturday night, Pepsi brought the UEFA Champions League 2025 final to life at the Pepsi GoalFest 2025, where PSG dominated Inter Milan in a stunning 5-0 victory, setting a new record for goals in a final.
The Balmoral Event Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos was completely transformed into an electrifying arena, with a dominant wave of the iconic Pepsi blue.
Football fanatics experienced passion like never before. Inside and around the venue, fans engaged in thrilling football-themed games, moved to the beats of electrifying music, and stayed refreshed with Pepsi.
The energy soared as Dj Yk Mule, Mayorkun, and Do2tun delivered show-stopping performances, all powered by Pepsi.
It wasn’t just a game; it was an immersive celebration of football, an unforgettable night where every cheer, every goal, and every moment was refreshed by Pepsi!
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