UEFA alters the Champions League rules to reward top teams with home advantage.
UEFA has announced a significant change to the Champions League format for the 2025-26 season, aiming to reward the top-performing teams in the League Phase with a crucial advantage in the knockout rounds.
According to the new rules, the team that finishes higher in the League Phase will have home advantage in the second leg of the knockout ties, starting from the quarterfinals.
This decision comes after some surprising outcomes in the current season’s semifinals, where Paris Saint-Germain (15th) and Inter Milan (4th) were drawn to play the second leg at home against Arsenal (3rd) and Barcelona (2nd), respectively. Both PSG and Inter went on to win their ties, with PSG dominating 5-0 at the Allianz Arena.
The new format will ensure that the top teams are rewarded for their consistency throughout the League Phase.
The change was agreed upon by UEFA’s Club Competitions Committee and is expected to be ratified by the Executive Committee through a virtual meeting before the League Phase draw on August 28.
The new rules will likely emphasize the importance of finishing as high as possible in the League Phase, rather than just securing a spot in the top eight. Teams that finish in the top positions will not only enjoy home advantage in the knockout rounds but also gain a significant psychological boost.
The decision to award home advantage to the higher-ranked team was favored over giving the top team the choice of playing home or away in the second leg. This change is expected to apply to all UEFA club competitions, including the Europa League and the Conference League. By rewarding the top teams with home advantage, UEFA aims to create a more competitive and fair format.
The new format will likely have a significant impact on teams’ strategies and performances in the League Phase.
Clubs will need to focus on securing a high ranking to gain the advantage of playing the second leg at home in the knockout rounds. This change will add an extra layer of excitement and unpredictability to the competition, as teams will need to balance their efforts between advancing to the knockout stage and securing a favorable position.
The upcoming season will be closely watched to see how this new format plays out and whether it achieves UEFA’s goal of creating a more competitive and engaging tournament. With the top teams set to benefit from home advantage, the competition is expected to become even more intense and thrilling for fans worldwide.
