UEFA and Super League: A new concept for the Champions League

Starting from 2027, UEFA is considering options to completely update the format and broadcasting policy of the Champions League. According to COPE, Super League representatives are also participating in the discussions, the series of matches has been ongoing for approximately eight months, but the final point has not yet been reached.

The main features of the project are as follows: the name of the competition will not change, the number of participants will be increased to 36 clubs. However, instead of the usual "one big league/Swiss" system, the following two-stage construction is proposed:

The first group consists of 18 clubs ranked higher in the UEFA rankings.

The second group - the remaining 18 teams.

Each club plays 8 rounds: 4 home, 4 away, and only against opponents in their own group. Qualification will continue to be based on the results of national championships and coefficients.

The playoff model will also be considered: the top 8 teams from the first group will immediately advance to the 1/8 finals. The rest (including those from the second group) will compete for the main podium through the 1/16 finals - the exact mechanics of this stage are still under discussion.

The main goal of the update is to ensure high quality and competitiveness in each round at the group stage, reducing the proportion of games with "expected results" or uninteresting games. Thus, it is planned to increase the balance of the audience and the clash of sports forces.

UEFA is also exploring the possibility of abandoning the sale of broadcasting rights through a classic tender. According to the concept, a single broadcasting platform similar to Netflix could be launched for the Champions League. Such a service promises fans a lower subscription price, and clubs a return of direct and stable revenue streams with a larger share.

For now, it's all working. UEFA and stakeholders have prepared the preliminary draft, and final decisions are expected to be announced later. Nevertheless, the proposed direction could be a major turning point for the football industry from a television model to a digital-platform system.