Why are there Champions League games on Thursday?
Quick summary
UEFA Champions League matches are being played on Thursday as part of the new 36-team league phase format, which spreads the final matchday across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceOur Ask Me Anything team look at why some Champions League games are taking place on Thursday.
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What happened
The new UEFA Champions League format, introduced for the 2024-25 season, features a 36-team league phase with each club playing eight matches. To accommodate all fixtures, the final matchday of the league phase is spread across three days — Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday — rather than the traditional two-day schedule. This expanded window ensures all 18 simultaneous kick-offs can be broadcast and managed logistically. The article explains the reasoning behind the Thursday fixtures, which have drawn attention from fans unaccustomed to midweek European games falling outside the usual schedule.
Chance analysis
The expanded Champions League calendar reflects UEFA's broader push to maximise the commercial value and global reach of its flagship competition. By stretching matchdays across three days, UEFA creates more standalone fixture slots, which translates into richer broadcasting inventory and better kick-off times for audiences in different time zones. For fans and clubs, however, it means a busier midweek and raises questions about congestion in an already packed football calendar. The shift is a visible sign of how the new league-phase structure is reshaping the rhythm of European football's top competition.
The three-day matchweek spreads fixture load and broadcast windows but adds further congestion to an already crowded club calendar.