History of UEFA Champions League in Timeline

The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club football competition organized by UEFA, featuring top European clubs. Teams compete in a round-robin league phase, followed by double-legged knockout rounds, culminating in a single-leg final. It's the most-watched club competition globally, ranking third overall behind the World Cup and European Championship. Highly prestigious, it showcases national league champions and represents the pinnacle of European club football.

1900: Coupe Van der Straeten Ponthoz

In 1900, the champions of Belgium, Netherlands, and Switzerland participated in the Coupe Van der Straeten Ponthoz, which local newspapers dubbed as the "club championship of the continent".

1927: Creation of the Mitropa Cup

In 1927, the Mitropa Cup, a competition modeled after the Challenge Cup, was created by Austrian Hugo Meisl and was played between Central European clubs.

1930: Inaugural Coupe des Nations

In 1930, the Coupe des Nations (Nations Cup), the first attempt to create a cup for national champion clubs of Europe, was played and organised by Swiss club Servette in Geneva. Újpest of Hungary won the tournament.

1948: South American Championship of Champions of 1948

In 1948, the highly successful South American Championship of Champions took place, inspiring Gabriel Hanot to propose a continent-wide tournament in Europe.

1949: Formation of the Latin Cup

In 1949, Latin European nations came together to form the Latin Cup, a competition among themselves.

September 1955: First European Cup Match

On 4 September 1955, the first European Cup match took place, ending in a 3–3 draw between Sporting CP and Partizan, with João Baptista Martins of Sporting CP scoring the first goal in the competition's history.

1955: Conception of the European Champion Clubs' Cup

In 1955, the European Champion Clubs' Cup was conceived in Paris, after Gabriel Hanot convinced UEFA to put the tournament into practice.

1955: First European Cup Season

The first European Cup took place during the 1955–56 season, with sixteen teams participating.

June 1956: Inaugural European Cup Final

On 13 June 1956, the inaugural European Cup final took place at the Parc des Princes between Stade de Reims and Real Madrid. Real Madrid won 4–3.

1958: Real Madrid wins third consecutive title

In 1958, Real Madrid retained the title for the third consecutive season, defeating Milan in extra time at Heysel Stadium.

1959: Real Madrid wins fourth title

In 1959, Real Madrid won their fourth title by facing Stade Reims at the Neckarstadion, winning 2-0.

1960: Real Madrid wins fifth consecutive title

In 1960, Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7–3 at Hampden Park, securing their fifth consecutive title. This final holds the record for the most goals scored in a European Cup final.

1960: Barcelona dethrones Real Madrid

In the 1960-61 season, Real Madrid's reign ended when Barcelona defeated them in the first round.

1962: Benfica retains title

In 1962, Benfica defeated Real Madrid 5–3 at the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam and kept the title for a second consecutive season.

1963: Milan wins the European Cup

In the 1962-63 season, Milan won the European Cup after José Altafini's brace at Wembley gave the spoils to Milan.

1966: Real Madrid Receives the Original UEFA Champions League Trophy

In 1966, the original UEFA Champions League trophy was given to Real Madrid in recognition of their six titles to date.

1967: Awarding the European Champion Clubs' Cup

Each year, the winning team is presented with the European Champion Clubs' Cup, the current version of which has been awarded since 1967.

1967: Celtic becomes the first British club to win the European Cup

In 1967, Scottish club Celtic beat Inter Milan 2–1 in the final to become the first British club to win the European Cup.

1967: Manchester United's Win

In the 1967-68 season, Manchester United beat two-times winners Benfica 4-1 in the final.

1968: Teams awarded the official trophy permanently

From the 1968–69 season and prior to the 2008–09 season any team that won the Champions League three years in a row or five times overall was awarded the official trophy permanently.

1968: Manchester United becomes the first English team to win the European Cup

In the 1967–68 season, Manchester United became the first English team to win the European Cup, beating Benfica 4–1 in the final.

1969: Ajax reaches first final

In the 1968–69 season, Ajax became the first Dutch team to reach the European Cup final, but were beaten by Milan.

1970: Feyenoord becomes the first Dutch winner

The 1969–70 season saw the first Dutch winners of the competition, with Feyenoord knocking out the defending champions, Milan, and beating Celtic in the final.

1971: Ajax wins the title

In the 1970–71 season, Ajax won the title, beating Greek side Panathinaikos in the final. Penalty shoot-outs were introduced, and the away goals rule was changed.

1973: Ajax wins the competition three years in row

Ajax won the competition three years in a row from 1971 to 1973.

1974: Bayern Munich wins three consecutive titles

From 1974 to 1976, Bayern Munich emulated Ajax's feat by winning the competition three years in a row.

1976: Bayern Munich wins the competition three years in row

From 1974 to 1976, Bayern Munich emulated Ajax's feat by winning the competition three years in a row.

1977: Liverpool won their first two titles

Liverpool won their first two titles in 1977 and 1978.

1978: Nottingham Forest victory

In the 1978–79 season, Nottingham Forest, managed by Brian Clough, won the title.

1978: Liverpool won their first two titles

Liverpool won their first two titles in 1977 and 1978.

1979: Nottingham Forest victory

In the 1979–80 season, Nottingham Forest, managed by Brian Clough, won the title.

1982: Aston Villa continues English dominance

In 1982, Aston Villa continued the sense of English dominance in the competition.

1982: Hamburger SV breaks English dominance

In 1982–83, Hamburger SV broke the English dominance in the competition.

1983: Liverpool regains dominance

In 1983–84, Liverpool regained the title.

1984: Liverpool loses to Juventus

In 1984–85, Liverpool lost to Juventus.

1985: Heysel Stadium disaster and ban

In 1985, English clubs were banned for five years (Liverpool for six years) following the 1985 European Cup final due to the Heysel Stadium disaster.

1986: Steaua București wins

In 1985–86, Steaua București won the European Cup.

1987: Porto wins

In 1986–87, Porto won the European Cup.

1991: UEFA partners with TEAM for Champions League branding

In 1991, UEFA partnered with Television Event and Media Marketing (TEAM) to help brand the Champions League, leading to the creation of the anthem, "house colours", logo, and the "starball".

1991: Introduction of Round-Robin Group Stage

In 1991, the UEFA Champions League added a round-robin group stage to its format, changing the structure of the competition.

1992: UEFA Champions League anthem creation

In 1992, UEFA commissioned Tony Britten to arrange an anthem for the Champions League, which became an adaptation of George Frideric Handel's 1727 anthem Zadok the Priest. The anthem was performed by London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and sung by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields.

1992: Name change to UEFA Champions League

In 1992, the competition was renamed the UEFA Champions League, marking a new era for the tournament.

1992: UEFA Champions League Sponsorship Structure

When the Champions League was created in 1992, it was decided that a maximum of eight companies should be allowed to sponsor the event, with each corporation being allocated four advertising boards around the perimeter of the pitch, as well as logo placement at pre- and post-match interviews and a certain number of tickets to each match.

1996: Sponsorship Restrictions in Champions League

In the 1996–97 Champions League, when Rangers played French side Auxerre, they wore the logo of the holiday chain Center Parcs instead of their primary sponsor, McEwan's Lager, due to alcohol advertising restrictions in France.

1997: Multiple Entrants Allowed

Starting with the 1997-98 season, the UEFA Champions League allowed multiple entrants from certain countries, modifying the selection process for participating teams.

1999: No differentiation between champions and non-champions in qualification

Between 1999 and 2008, no differentiation was made between champions and non-champions in qualification for the Champions League.

1999: Starball logo achieves high recognition

By 1999, research conducted by TEAM concluded that the starball logo had achieved a recognition rate of 94 percent among fans.

2005: UEFA gave special dispensation for Liverpool to enter the Champions League

In 2005, Liverpool won the Champions League the year before, but did not finish in a Champions League qualification place in the Premier League that season. UEFA gave special dispensation for Liverpool to enter the Champions League, giving England five qualifiers. UEFA subsequently ruled that the defending champions qualify for the competition the following year regardless of their domestic league placing.

2005: Liverpool and Artmedia Bratislava reach group stage after qualifying rounds

In the 2005–06 season, Liverpool and Artmedia Bratislava became the first teams to reach the Champions League group stage after playing in all three qualifying rounds.

2007: Michel Platini's Proposal for Champions League Qualification

In 2007, Michel Platini, the UEFA president, proposed taking one place from the three leagues with four entrants and allocating it to that nation's cup winners. This proposal was rejected. In the same meeting, it was agreed that the third-placed team in the top three leagues would receive automatic qualification for the group stage.

2008: No differentiation between champions and non-champions in qualification

Between 1999 and 2008, no differentiation was made between champions and non-champions in qualification for the Champions League.

2008: UEFA remains with the official trophy and clubs are awarded replica

Since 2008, the official trophy has remained with UEFA and the clubs are awarded a replica.

2009: Andrea Bocelli performs the Champions League anthem in Rome

In 2009, Andrea Bocelli performed the Champions League anthem live in Italian at the final in Rome.

2010: Juan Diego Flores performs the Champions League anthem in Madrid

In 2010, Juan Diego Flores performed the Champions League anthem live in Spanish at the final in Madrid.

2011: All Angels perform the Champions League anthem at Wembley

In 2011, All Angels performed the Champions League anthem live at Wembley.

2011: Tottenham Hotspur finished fourth in the 2011–12 Premier League

In May 2012, Tottenham Hotspur finished fourth in the 2011–12 Premier League, two places ahead of Chelsea, but failed to qualify for the 2012–13 Champions League, after Chelsea won the 2012 final. Tottenham were demoted to the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League.

May 2012: Tottenham Hotspur failed to qualify for Champions League

In May 2012, Tottenham Hotspur finished fourth in the 2011–12 Premier League, two places ahead of Chelsea, but failed to qualify for the 2012–13 Champions League because Chelsea won the 2012 final and Tottenham was demoted to the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League.

2012: Medals are presented to the Champions League Winners and Runners-Up

As of the 2012–13 season, 40 gold medals are presented to the Champions League winners, and 40 silver medals to the runners-up.

2012: UEFA Used LED Advertising Hoardings

From the 2012–13 knockout phase, UEFA used LED advertising hoardings installed in knockout participant stadiums, including the final.

2012: Arsène Wenger Referred to qualifying for the Champions League as the "4th Place Trophy"

In 2012, Arsène Wenger referred to qualifying for the Champions League by finishing in the top four places in the Premier League as the "4th Place Trophy". The phrase was coined after a pre-match conference when he was questioned about Arsenal's lack of a trophy after exiting the FA Cup. He said "The first trophy is to finish in the top four". At Arsenal's 2012 AGM, Wenger was also quoted as saying: "For me there are five trophies every season: Premier League, Champions League, the third is to qualify for the Champions League..."

2012: Jonas Kaufmann and David Garrett perform the Champions League anthem in Munich

In 2012, Jonas Kaufmann and David Garrett performed the Champions League anthem live in Munich.

2012: UEFA Champions League Final TV Ratings

The final of the 2012–13 tournament had the competition's highest TV ratings to date, drawing approximately 360 million television viewers.

May 2013: UEFA Europa League winners qualify for UEFA Champions League

In May 2013, it was decided that, starting from the 2015–16 season, the winners of the previous season's UEFA Europa League would qualify for the UEFA Champions League, entering at least the play-off round, and entering the group stage if the berth reserved for the Champions League title holders was not used.

2013: Chorus of the Champions League anthem played twice at Wembley

In the 2013 final at Wembley, the chorus of the Champions League anthem was played twice.

2014: Mariza performs the Champions League anthem in Lisbon

In 2014, Mariza performed the Champions League anthem live in Lisbon.

2015: UEFA Used LED Advertising Hoardings

From the 2015–16 season onwards, UEFA has used such hoardings from the play-off round until the final.

2015: Limit of teams per association increased to five

In May 2013, it was decided that, starting from the 2015–16 season, the previous limit of a maximum of four teams per association was increased to five.

2015: No association could have more than four entrants in the Champions League

Until 2015–16, no association could have more than four entrants in the Champions League.

2016: Andrea Bocelli performs the Champions League anthem in Milan

In 2016, Andrea Bocelli performed the Champions League anthem live in Italian at the final in Milan.

2017: Andrea Bocelli performs the Champions League anthem in Cardiff

In 2017, Andrea Bocelli performed the Champions League anthem live in Italian at the final in Cardiff.

2017: UEFA Europa League winners qualify for UEFA Champions League

In May 2013, it was decided that, starting from the 2015–16 season (and continuing at least for the three-year cycle until the 2017–18 season), the winners of the previous season's UEFA Europa League would qualify for the UEFA Champions League

2018: 2Cellos perform instrumental version in Kyiv

In 2018, at the final held in Kyiv, 2Cellos performed the instrumental version of the chorus of the Champions League anthem.

2018: Champions League Theme

In 2018, composer Hans Zimmer remixed the anthem with rapper Vince Staples for EA Sports' video game FIFA 19, with it also featuring in the game's reveal trailer.

2019: UEFA Champions League Revenue Distribution

For the 2019–20 season, Paris Saint-Germain, who were the runners-up, earned nearly €126.8 million in total, of which €101.3 million was prize money, compared with the €125.46 million earned by Bayern Munich, who won the tournament and were awarded €112.96 million in prize money.

2019: Asturia Girls perform instrumental version in Madrid

In 2019, at the final held in Madrid, Asturia Girls performed the instrumental version of the chorus of the Champions League anthem.

2019: Bayern Munich wins all matches en route to victory

In the 2019–20 season, Bayern Munich became the first and only club to win all of their matches in a single tournament en route to the UEFA Champions League victory.

2019: UEFA Champions League Tournament Suspended due to COVID-19 Pandemic

In the 2019–20 season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the tournament was suspended for five months. In August 2020, 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 with the final taking place on 23 August 2020.

August 2020: UEFA Champions League Tournament Suspended due to COVID-19 Pandemic

2021: Introduction of the UEFA Conference League

In 2021, the third-tier UEFA Conference League was introduced, providing another avenue for clubs that do not qualify for the Champions League or Europa League.

2021: UEFA used Virtual Board Replacement (VBR) technology

Since 2021, the UEFA also used Virtual Board Replacement (VBR) technology to offer region-based advertising; regional sponsors are inserted into the hoardings as shown on the broadcast feed in specific regions along with the global sponsors.

2023: Ádám György performs piano version in Istanbul

In 2023, Hungarian pianist Ádám György performed the piano version of the Champions League anthem at the final held in Istanbul.

2024: UEFA Champions League format changed

Beginning with the 2024–25 season, UEFA changed the format of their three club competitions, abandoning the group stage in favour of an expanded league phase. The number of participating teams was increased from 32 to 36 teams. Each team plays eight matches against eight different opponents. The league phase is played from September to January, while the knockout phase begins in February.