Champions League: Format changes planned for 2024 set
Uefa was proposing a Champions League containing four groups of eight clubs, as opposed to the current eight groups of four, meaning 14 games, some of which could be played at weekends.
Uefa was proposing a Champions League containing four groups of eight clubs, as opposed to the current eight groups of four, meaning 14 games, some of which could be played at weekends.
The proposals came after pressure from leagues below the “big five” – England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France.
However, after months of talks, no overall consensus has been reached.
Promotion and relegation from the Europa League and the new Europa League 2, a third club competition which starts in 2021, had also been suggested as a way of ensuring a rotation of clubs, to prevent the Champions League appearing to become a sealed competition.
Ajax chief executive Edwin van der Sar has been among the most vocal demanding change, pointing out the present qualification system could have led to his club having no European football at all after August, even though they came within seconds of getting to last season’s Champions League final before Lucas Moura’s dramatic injury-time goal for Tottenham in Amsterdam.
While the clubs remain committed to change, the likelihood is that anything implemented by 2024 will be much less radical than initially envisaged.
