The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) organizes the annual football competition, the UEFA Champions League. Champions League is made of the top European clubs and is looked upon as one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world. The prestigious European football competition is played by national league champions, and it remains the most watched sporting event worldwide, drawing about four hundred million television viewers every year.
Format of the Champions League
UEFA Champions League starts in July with three qualifying rounds and a play-off round. The surviving ten teams enter the group stage which already has 22 qualified teams. Thus, the 32 teams are segregated into eight groups of four teams that play against each other and proceed to the knockout phase and the final match which is held in May. UEFA Champions League winner qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. Till date, Real Madrid has been the most successful winner in the history of Champions League as it has won the tournament eleven times. Spanish clubs have enjoyed the maximum number of victories followed by Italy and England.
The 2017/18 Champions League
The Champions’ League group stage berths for 2017/18 will be decided after qualifying matches in the summer among the 22 teams, as they secure their place in UEFA Champions League for next term. The latest team to secure their place is Manchester United, for the next season’s UEFA Champions. The club competition begins with a new system of qualification for the 2018/19 season. The leading four nations, England, Spain, Italy, and Germany will each get automatic places in UEFA Champions League group.
UEFA Champions League final is watched by millions of fans across the world. They do not want to miss even a single minute of the action. Thus, it is no surprise to see broadcasters across the world screen the game live and extend their broadcast reach with partners across the globe. They span territories in Asia, Latin America, Africa, Middle East, Oceania and North America. The latest season starts on August 12 and fans are all excited to see Manchester and Everton back in competitive action. 2017/18 top-flight season fixtures get released soon in June, but there are competitive commitments among several clubs even before that.
As the battle to win the holy grail of the Champions League heats up, so do the Champions League betting odds. Sports bettors rely on the latest news and info related to odds, tips, and team profiles as well as the very best in special offers and free bets from the bookmakers. They go for free betting and also casino at Betfair for more information. Champions League is looked upon as the ultimate reward in European club football. Most bookmakers offer live in-running bets on the Champions League match from the group stages onwards. One can place the bet as they watch the match. A guide to Champions League can help one gauge as to which teams have the highest chances of winning the Champions League matches.