ESPN: UEFA will change the rules of the Champions League, and teams with top rankings in the league will gain home advantage

According to ESPN, UEFA will change the rules of the Champions League to ensure that the top teams in the league have a home advantage.

2024-25 season, that is, the first season of expanding to 36 teams, the top eight teams in the league stage gained a home advantage in the second leg of the 1/8 finals. However, in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the draw method is open, which weakens the value of group stage performance.

In the semi-finals of this season, Paris Saint-Germain (No. 15 in the league stage) and Inter Milan (No. 4 in the league stage) both gained home advantage in the second leg, although they ranked lower in the group stage than their respective opponents Arsenal (No. 3) and Barcelona (No. 2). In the end, both Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan advanced to the finals, and Paris Saint-Germain defeated their opponents 5-0 at the Allianz Stadium.

Starting next season, the home and away order of the knockout stage will be determined by group stage rankings, and the higher-ranked teams will gain a home advantage in the second leg. The change was agreed on Saturday at the UEFA Club Competition Committee meeting before the Champions League final. Although the rules for the 2025-26 season have been announced, this modification still needs to be approved by the Executive Committee. Since the next meeting of the Executive Committee will not be held until September, a video conference will be held before the group stage draw on August 28 to confirm the revision.

This change emphasizes the importance of getting as high as possible in the group stage, not just entering the top eight. For example, Liverpool and Barcelona ended the group stage with first and second place respectively this season, thus gaining a key home advantage throughout the knockout stage.

In addition, UEFA is expected to implement the same changes in the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Cup. Other aspects, including the rumored cancellation of overtime and direct penalty shootouts and the ban on clubs in the same country from meeting in knockout playoffs, have not been adopted.