Champions League U-turn ‘a matter of principle’

UEFA has scrapped its coefficient plans for the Champions League from the 2024-25 season and insisted the U-turn has occurred due to its “commitment to the principles of open competition” following an exhaustive consultation.

An agreement was reached in Vienna between UEFA and the European Club Association on access to the new-look competition, which will now award two Champions League places to countries whose clubs collectively performed best in Europe during the previous campaign.

There had been a proposal to award those places in the new 36-team league phase to individual clubs based on European performances over five years, but following a raft of criticism and after yesterday’s UEFA Executive Committee meeting, a change has been made.

It means if the decision to award two places to clubs from countries who performed best in Europe in the previous season had been brought in for the 2022-23 term, England and Holland would gain an extra spot each. The other key amendment voted through in Austria related to the reduction from 10 matches to eight in the new Champions League phase.

“The UEFA Executive Committee has today approved the final format and access list for European club competitions as of the 2024/25 season,” a statement read. “The key amendments relate to the reduction from 10 matches to eight in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League and the change of criteria for the allocation of two of the four additional places in the UEFA Champions League, removing access based on club coefficient. This confirms UEFA’S strong commitment to the principle of open competitions.”