UEFA lining up three changes for next season's Champions League

UEFA is reportedly lining up three changes to the format for the Champions League ahead of the competition returning in the 2025/26 season.

We're approaching the business end of this season's Champions League, which Barcelona remain the favourites to win ahead of their semi-final tie against Inter Milan later this month.

Despite there still being five games left to be played in the 24/25 Champions League, a new report has revealed changes to the format that are being considered for the 25/26 competition, which kicks off later this year.

This season's Champions League saw some major changes to the format from previous years, with the main one being the introduction of a new 'league phase'.

Previously, clubs would be placed into pots and drawn into groups with three other teams. They would then play each of those teams twice before the top two in each group progressed to the knockout stage.

This season saw each team competing in the same league phase. Each side was drawn against seven other teams, playing each of those sides once before progressing into the next stage.

The top eight teams progress straight to the round of 16, which Liverpool did for example this season, whilst the teams that finished between 9th and 24th faced each other in playoff games to make it into the knockout stage proper.

On the whole, despite immense scepticism, the changes appear to have gone done rather well with fans, but UEFA isn't stopping there.

Reports from BILD in Germany have indicated that UEFA are considering making additional changes to the format ahead of the return of the competition next season.

One of the new changes reportedly being considered would see teams that finish higher-up in the league phase of the Champions League getting home advantage for the second leg in the knockout stage of the competition.

The top eight teams in the league phase played at home in the second leg of the last 16, which is seen by many to be advantageous, and UEFA are considering having the better-placed team play the second-leg at home in both quarter and semi-finals next season.

A lot of the chatter amongst footballers at the moment is about two they're being overworked due to the rigorous schedule of being a professional footballer, and UEFA seems to be considering that with one of their other reported changes.

UEFA is, according to the report, considering removing extra time from knockout ties from next season onwards. That would mean that second-leg ties that finish in a draw after 90 minutes, as well as the final for that matter, would go straight to penalties rather than to extra time first.

The final proposed format change is linked to clubs from the same country being able to play each other, which we saw when Real Madrid faced Atletico Madrid in the last 16 this season, for example.

The report states that fans and broadcasters aren't as interested in the ties that feature two teams from the same country, so UEFA is weighing up whether or not to enforce a rule that would see teams from the same nation banned from playing each other until the final eight.

The rule is one that was in place last season, but was scrapped when the competition expanded to 36 sides. However, it's one that reports state would be in the works for a return before too long.

The new rules will reportedly be discussed at a committee meeting in Germany on May 30, which just so happens to be one day before the 24/25 Champions League final is due to take place.

As noted, Barcelona are viewed by the bookies as the favourites to win this season's Champions League, with Ladbrokes putting Inter Milan, their semi-final opponents, down as the outsiders.

For what it's worth, Arsenal are being regarded as the third-favourites to win the competition. The bookies have them as less likely to win the Champions League for the first time than Barcelona and PSG, the latter of whom are their semi-final opponents, but more likely than Inter.

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All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.