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Play the Game's UCL Diversity Index

On this theme page, you can find Play the Game's UEFA Champions League Diversity Index dating all the way back to the 1994/95 season.

Since 2009/10, Play the Game has been monitoring the annual intake of clubs into UEFA’s Champions League (UCL). The aim of Play the Game’s UCL Diversity Index is to illustrate how a greater concentration of the same clubs is appearing in UEFA’s premier club competition.

The increasing concentration of the same clubs all benefitting from UEFA cash illustrates how the competition has been slowly morphing into a competition that is almost closed already.

The index shows how the number of debutants in the competition has dwindled to only a handful of new clubs every year. These clubs are mainly eliminated before the group stages, which keeps UEFA’s largest cash distribution among the same clubs and leagues that dominate the main competition and the cash bonuses this produces.

How the index is made

Play the Game's UCL Diversity Index runs from 1994/95, when the major structural changes to the competition that heralded the modern UCL began. The index works by dividing the total number of places awarded to countries by the number of different clubs to take up these places.

The countries with the highest index rating are those with the smallest number of clubs to enter since 1994/95 and are therefore the least diverse. At the opposite end of the index, the UEFA members with the lowest rating are those that have had the greatest diversity and the largest number of clubs taking part for the places on offer.

The index is produced by journalist Steve Menary and is usually published every summer.

Find the different UCL Diversity Indexes below

Fans of Larne football club
PtG Article 08.08.2023
UCL Diversity Index 2023/24: Despite a few newcomers, UEFA's Champions League is less diverse than ever
Frankfurt winning the EL
PtG Article 06.09.2022
UCL Diversity Index 2022/23: Qualification to group stages is impossible for new clubs
Fodboldspillere
PtG Article 27.07.2021
CL Diversity Index 2021/22: Only four new clubs enter the Champions League this year
PtG Article 24.08.2020
The same clubs dominate Champions League despite the corona pandemic: CL Diversity Index 2020/21
PtG Article 25.06.2019
Few clubs dominate Europe’s football leagues: Champions League Diversity Index 2019/20
PtG Article 03.07.2018
Domestic domination cemented through Champions League funds
PtG Article 27.06.2017
More new clubs but domestic hegemonies continue - Champions League Diversity Index 2017/18
PtG Article 05.07.2016
Domestic hegemonies continue across Europe: Champions League Diversity Index 2016/2017
PtG Article 22.06.2015
More money to the same old clubs - Champions League Diversity Index 2015/2016
PtG Article 30.06.2014
Repetition increased in 2014/2015 Champions League
PtG Article 02.07.2013
New Champions League Index shows less diversity
PtG Article 05.07.2012
New Champions League Index shows improved diversity
PtG Comment 14.07.2011
Champions League 2011/12: more of the same
PtG Article 02.09.2010
Play the Game Champions League Diversity Index
PtG Article 16.04.2009
Exclusive research: PTG Champions League Diversity Index