European Champions Cup

Traditionally the Cup contested by the champions of all UEFA countries (though there were a few exceptions in the first year or two, e.g. the Dutch representative in 55/56 was not champions Willem II but PSV). Since a few years the traditional knock-out-format has been replaced a league structure during some stage of the competition, in order to guarantee the "big teams" more matches and the UEFA more (TV) money. In 1994/95 only the supposedly "best" 24 champions of the member countries were allowed to enter; the other champions were relegated to the UEFA Cup. In 1997/98 all champions were allowed to enter again, but invitations were also made to the runners-up of the 8 "best" countries, with 8 teams being seeded for the league stage and the others entering various qualifying rounds; in 1999/00, the "best" countries could enter up to 4 teams and the first group stage was extended to 32 teams and followed by a second group stage of 16 teams; in 2003/04 that second group stage has been abolished again. The losers of the last qualifying round enter the UEFA Cup since 1997/98, and the third-placed teams of the first group stage enter the later rounds of the UEFA Cup since 1999/00.