Glossary of Champions League terms
Every working term of the competition, A to Z. Each entry explains a mechanism rather than a result, so it stays true in any season.
A
Association coefficientthe ranking of a country's league, built from all its clubs' resultsAggregatethe combined score of a two-legged tieAway goals rulethe old tie-break that counted away goals doubleAnthemthe music played before every match of the competitionAssociationa national football body whose clubs enter the competition
B
C
Coefficienta ranking of clubs or countries built from results over several seasonsClub coefficientthe ranking that places a single club in the pots of the drawChampions paththe qualifying route for the champions of smaller associationsChampions Leaguethe modern name of the competition, adopted in 1992
E
Extra timethe thirty added minutes played when a tie is levelEuropean Cupthe original name of the competition, from 1955 to 1992
F
Finalthe single match that decides the trophyFinancial sustainabilitythe rules that require clubs to spend within their means
H
K
L
League phasethe single table in which all clubs play eight matches eachLeague paththe qualifying route for non-champions from the strongest leaguesList Athe main squad list a club registers for the competition
M
N
P
Pota group of clubs sorted by coefficient for the purposes of the drawPenalty shoot-outthe contest from the spot that settles a tie still levelPerformance paymentmoney earned for results and for progress in the roundsPlay-off roundthe final qualifying round before the league phase
Q
R
Round of 16the first knockout round of the last sixteen clubsRegistration windowthe period in which clubs register players for the competition
S
Seedingthe placement that keeps the strongest clubs apart in the drawSolidarity paymenta share of the revenue given to clubs and leagues outside the competitionStar ballthe star pattern that marks the ball and the competition
T
Two-legged tiea knockout pairing decided over a match at each club's groundTitle-holder placethe automatic place held by the reigning champion