Champions League
The Champions League is the modern name of the competition, adopted in 1992. The rebrand introduced a group stage and a new identity, and it began the era that the tournament still plays in today.
Why it matters
It matters because it marks the modern era. When the European Cup became the Champions League, the format changed and the competition grew, so the rebrand is the dividing line between the two eras.
Where it is used
It is used to describe the competition from 1992 onward. The group stage and later the league phase, the anthems and the modern visual identity all belong to this era, and its records are counted from the rebrand.
How to read it
Read the Champions League as the competition's present form. It is the same trophy as the European Cup, continued under a new name and a wider format, and its history runs unbroken from 1955 to today.
What it means
the modern name of the competition, adopted in 1992
Champions League is one of the working terms of the competition. This entry explains it as a mechanism that holds true from season to season, so it can be read on its own or alongside the other entries in the glossary of the tournament.
- The competition's name since 1992.
- Introduced a group stage.
- Marks the start of the modern era.
- Brought a new visual identity.
- Its records are counted from the rebrand.
- The same trophy continued under a new name.