8 rounds in expanded Champions League first stage from 2024
VIENNA (AP) — A scaled-back first section to the expanded Champions League in 2024 was authorized by UEFA on Tuesday to quell a backlash round Europe.
The reformatted group stage has been diminished from 10 rounds to eight, and backup locations for groups primarily based on historic efficiency have been changed with a qualification methodology that rewards essentially the most profitable nations extra lately in European soccer.
The stage will nonetheless develop from 32 to 36 groups primarily based round a single standings moderately than eight teams.
Weeks of talks involving home leagues and golf equipment went all the way down to the wire on Tuesday to supply the revised format that can see two extra locations within the expanded format awarded to the 2 nations with the very best UEFA rating primarily based on their groups’ ends in European competitions the earlier season.
If the system was already in place, it could imply the fifth-place group in England would qualify for the Champions League together with a second automated place for the Netherlands. The group ending third within the Dutch league would get an opportunity to enter the qualifying rounds.
The unique plan that sparked criticism, notably amongst middle-class golf equipment and fans, would have awarded the 2 locations to groups with the strongest five-season report in Europe who did not qualify by way of their home leagues.
The distribution of the opposite two enlargement locations will see a further group qualify from the fifth-ranked nation in Europe — usually France — and a fifth slot for home champions who do not qualify mechanically.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin mentioned the revisions agreed to at an govt committee assembly in Vienna guarantee qualification is predicated on sporting efficiency.
An initial radical plan presented by UEFA in 2019 featured 24 of the 32 slots within the Champions League locked in with out the necessity to qualify yearly — a largely closed competitors that Tremendous League insurgent golf equipment tried to then introduce with a failed breakaway final yr.
The brand new format, that was tweaked on Tuesday, was initially ratified by UEFA within the turbulent days across the Tremendous League launch in April 2021.
“We’re satisfied that the format chosen strikes the suitable steadiness,” Čeferin mentioned, “and that it’ll enhance the aggressive steadiness and generate strong revenues that may be distributed to golf equipment, leagues and into grassroots soccer throughout our continent whereas rising the attraction and recognition of our membership competitions.”
The primary fundamental stage to the new-look Champions League options groups taking part in eight totally different opponents, with the highest eight qualifying mechanically for the spherical of 16. However ending as much as twenty fourth out of the 36 groups will safe entry into the 16-team playoff spherical.
The distribution of extra locations means, primarily based on the present standing of England it may theoretically have seven groups within the Champions League. That will require English groups to win the Champions League and Europa League whereas not ending within the high 5 within the Premier League.
There will likely be 10 weeks put aside for European video games within the early league section from 2024, however solely eight will likely be used for the three UEFA competitions. They are going to every acquire per week of exclusivity to notably assist the Europa League and Europa Convention League garner extra of the highlight as additionally they develop to 36 groups primarily based round a single standings.
The present 32-team Champions League produces 96 video games within the group stage. Dropping from 10 to eight video games per group will make an additional 64 video games moderately than 100 earlier than the spherical of 16. That will have an effect on UEFA’s predictions of revenue rising about 40% from the present 3.5 billion euros ($3.8 billion) yearly from its membership competitions.
The Champions League was created in 1992 from the European Cup, which began in 1955 and was a knockout event for many of its existence.
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Rob Harris, The Related Press
