Over 14 years have passed since the iconic UEFA Champions League anthem was last played in the MHP Arena. On February 23, 2010, VfB drew 1-1 in the first leg of the round of 16 with the world team of eventual title winners FC Barcelona. The 4-0 defeat in the second leg later sealed their elimination from the premier class. The long wait for the next Champions League game will soon be over. Head coach Sebastian Hoeneß’s team is delighting its fans this season with great and, above all, successful football and has now safely qualified for the UEFA Champions League in the coming season. With its 64 points, VfB can no longer take a place in the top five of the Bundesliga final table with three match days to go. These five clubs will take part in the premier class directly and without additional qualifying games in the coming season.
This was made possible by the European Cup reform, which will take effect for the first time in the 2024/25 season. Two additional starting places for the UEFA Champions League will be awarded to the two best UEFA associations of the respective previous season via the “European Performance Spots” ranking. Thanks to the successful performance of the German clubs in the European Cup in the current season, the Bundesliga, together with the Italian Serie A, will receive an additional fifth UEFA Champions League starting place for the coming season. This means that regardless of the Bundesliga final table, VfB will definitely be a participant in the premier class next season.
Alexander Wehrle: “Result of the excellent work of everyone involved”
“Stuttgart international – next season our VfB will play on the biggest stage that European football offers: in the UEFA Champions League! Qualification for this competition, which promises magical European Cup nights for all VfB fans, is the result of the excellent work of everyone involved. Together we have achieved great things,” says CEO Alexander Wehrle happily – and at the same time emphasizes: “Even though we are already looking forward to the coming season together, we want to end the current season in the best possible way and the last games until the summer break with the same dedication and passion – the crowning conclusion to this already extremely successful season.”
In the future, 36 clubs in the UEFA Champions League
The highest European club competition will be increased from 32 to 36 clubs for the new season. The previously known premier class format with a group phase with eight groups of four will be replaced by a league phase. Instead of eight small ones, there will be one large table with all 36 clubs. In concrete terms, this means: Each club is guaranteed to play eight UEFA Champions League games in the first league phase, four each at home and four away. The best eight teams after the league phase qualify directly for the round of 16. The 16 teams in places nine to 24 will play in a playoff round to select eight winners, who will also advance to the round of 16. The teams ranked 25th to 36th will be eliminated from the competition and will no longer play in the UEFA Europa League.
The draw will take place on Thursday, August 29, 2024. The first UEFA Champions League matchday is scheduled for Tuesday to Thursday, September 17th to 19th. The final will take place on Saturday, May 31, 2025 in Munich. By the way, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League also has a positive consequence for VfB’s U19s: the young wild ones will take part in the UEFA Youth League, the “premier youth league” so to speak, for the first time next season.