UEFA Champions League

The UEFA Champions League known simply as the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world and the most prestigious club competition in European football. The final of the competition is the most watched annual sporting event worldwide, drawing over 300 million television viewers.

Prior to 1992, the tournament was officially called the "European Champion Clubs' Cup," but was usually referred to simply as the "European Cup." The competition was initially a straight knockout competition open only to the champion club of each country. During the 1990s, the tournament began to be expanded, incorporating a round-robin group phase and more teams. Europe's strongest national leagues now provide up to four teams each for the competition. The UEFA Champions League should not be confused with the UEFA Europa League, formerly known as the UEFA Cup.

The tournament consists of several stages. In the present format, it begins in mid-July with three knockout qualifying rounds and a play-off round. The 10 surviving teams join 22 seeded teams in the group stage, in which there are eight groups of four teams each. The eight group winners and eight runners-up enter the final knockout phase, which culminates with the final match in May. The winner of the UEFA Champions League qualifies for the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Real Madrid is the most successful club in the competition's history, having won the tournament nine times, including the first five seasons it was contested. Spanish clubs have accumulated the highest number of victories, with 13 wins. The title has been won by 22 different clubs, 12 of which have won the title more than once. Since the tournament changed name and structure in 1992, no club has managed consecutive wins, with Milan being the last club to successfully defend their title, in 1990. The reigning champions of the competition are English club Chelsea, after beating Bayern Munich 4–3 on penalties, following a 1–1 draw after extra time.

Winner

Club	Winners	Runners-up	Years won	Years runners-up
Real Madrid	9	3	1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002	1962, 1964, 1981
Milan	7	4	1963, 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007	1958, 1993, 1995, 2005
Liverpool	5	2	1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005	1985, 2007
Bayern Munich	4	5	1974, 1975, 1976, 2001	1982, 1987, 1999, 2010, 2012
Barcelona	4	3	1992, 2006, 2009, 2011	1961, 1986, 1994
Ajax	4	2	1971, 1972, 1973, 1995	1969, 1996
Internazionale	3	2	1964, 1965, 2010	1967, 1972
Manchester United	3	2	1968, 1999, 2008	2009, 2011
Benfica	2	5	1961, 1962	1963, 1965, 1968, 1988, 1990
Juventus	2	5	1985, 1996	1973, 1983, 1997, 1998, 2003
Nottingham Forest	2	0	1979, 1980
Porto	2	0	1987, 2004
Celtic	1	1	1967	1970
Hamburg	1	1	1983	1980
Steaua București	1	1	1986	1989
Marseille	1	1	1993	1991
Chelsea	1	1	2012	2008
Feyenoord	1	0	1970
Aston Villa	1	0	1982
PSV Eindhoven	1	0	1988
Red Star Belgrade	1	0	1991
Borussia Dortmund	1	0	1997
Stade de Reims	0	2		1956, 1959
Valencia	0	2		2000, 2001
Fiorentina	0	1		1957
Eintracht Frankfurt	0	1		1960
Partizan	0	1		1966
Panathinaikos	0	1		1971
Atlético Madrid	0	1		1974
Leeds United	0	1		1975
Saint-Étienne	0	1		1976
Borussia Mönchengladbach	0	1		1977
Brugge	0	1		1978
Malmö FF	0	1		1979
Roma	0	1		1984
Sampdoria	0	1		1992
Bayer Leverkusen	0	1		2002
Monaco	0	1		2004
Arsenal	0	1		2006