Is the new Women's Champions League format a success?
Full Time: A show about women's soccer
The Athletic
4.8 • 756 Ratings
🗓️ 19 December 2025
⏱️ 38 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The first-ever UEFA Women's Champions League Swiss-style league phase is in the books, but was the inaugural campaign in the new format a success?
On this edition of Full Time, host Jillian Sakovitz is joined by The Athletic's Tamerra Griffin to analyze how the opening round of the 2025-26 UWCL played out, from looking at the teams that impressed to those that crashed out, and also whether the new format delivered more drama and better matchups.
After that, Jillian and Tamerra turn their attention to the draw and break down the bracket for the rest of the tournament. Which of the 12 teams remaining are the favorites to win, and who is the dark horse to watch? What does it mean for Chelsea to finally avoid a semifinal meeting with Barcelona? Which knockout round matchups promise to deliver the best fireworks, food and football?
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HOST: Jillian Sakovits
GUEST: Tamerra Griffin
PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen
Referenced on the show:
Chelsea, Bayern reach Women’s Champions League quarter-finals: Who qualified, how do play-offs work?
Women’s Champions League draw: Potential Arsenal-Chelsea, Barcelona-Real Madrid quarter-final ties
Chelsea’s attack is key in the Champions League. Will the handbrake be released?
NWSL Players Association opposes new star player rule change proposal
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Germany. Okay. Very good food because it's fresh. I think you could find some really interesting, like, if I did a lot of research spot where Uve-Bulspur could maybe give us a good run for our money, but it would take a little more research. |
| 0:19.5 | I can totally see that. |
| 0:21.2 | I mean, the curry worst situation alone in Germany, I'm yet to go, but where else can you get |
| 0:27.4 | it better, you know? |
| 0:29.1 | Yeah, yeah. |
| 0:29.7 | Okay. |
| 0:30.3 | All right, but we're going Paris and morale, Madrid. |
| 0:41.5 | Hello, everybody, happy holidays. |
| 0:45.5 | It is Jillian Sackavits, a very warm welcome back to full time. |
| 0:48.8 | This year's UEFA Women's Champions League looked a little bit different. |
| 0:53.1 | It was the first ever use of the Swiss style, or shall we just call it, the league phase. |
| 0:56.1 | Moving on from the more traditional group stage. |
| 1:01.0 | So on the show today, I am joined by the athletics Tamara Griffin to discuss whether the new format was a success, how the league phase played out, who are the winners and the losers |
| 1:06.3 | of the inaugural league phase. |
| 1:07.7 | And then, of course, a look ahead to the knockout rounds. |
| 1:10.5 | And we even have a look ahead to our dream final as well. |
| 1:13.9 | We'll hear from Tamer's picks on the best matchups on the bracket. |
| 1:16.4 | And who is most poised to win it all? |
| 1:24.1 | Commitment to the defensive call. |
| 1:26.2 | So good. |
| 1:26.9 | Canterwood. |
| 1:27.5 | Cur brilliant. |
... |
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