“Nothing can be said to be an absolute success, but the new Champions League has been a resounding success that exceeded our expectations,” said Aleksander Ceferin, with the PSG-Inter final about to be played. However, UEFA sought midway through last season the opinion and voice of former players and experts in the field to find ways to improve the format of the competition, which was introduced a year ago, forgetting the group stage and giving way to a virtual league of all against all. The aforementioned consultations have shaped changes, with which UEFA intends to give more value to the league phase of the Champions League.
The format of the three European competitions as such is entering its second season, with broadcasting rights already sold until the 2026-27 season. UEFA sells its ‘product’ in three-year cycles
The changes that UEFA has decided to introduce are intended to improve the competition and not to change its structure. These could come, if needed, from the summer of 2027. In the current season, a total of 2.467 billion euros will be distributed in the Champions League, 565 million euros for the Europa League and 285 million euros for the Conference League, compared to 465 million euros and 235 million euros previously
Chelsea earned 104.7 million euros for winning the Club World Cup. The Champions League winner will take home more than 130 million, depending on different variables. In fact, the exact distribution of the 2023-24 edition, which Real Madrid won, is not yet known.
Five Spanish teams and six from the Premier League
The good European season of the Spanish teams last season means that on Thursday afternoon there will be up to five La Liga teams in the draw in Monaco. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico, Athletic and Villarreal will shape the Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons and evenings until February. Spain, together with England, took one of the places taken by the two best federations classified in the ranking for what was done by the teams, a right that will be put back into play with what they do once the league phase of the three competitions begins.The Premier League leads the way and breaks records with six teams in the top competition thanks to the extra place earned by their teams’ performances last season and the guaranteed reserve secured by Tottenham by winning the Europa League, after defeating Manchester United, who were left out of continental competitions. Liverpool, Arsenal, City, Chelsea and Newcastle complete the line-up.
The home field factor after the round of 16 due to the position in the league phase
Once the summer qualifying rounds are over, the new edition of the coveted European Cup will kick off on September 16 (the first round will be played on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and will run until May 30, when the grand final will be played in Budapest
A good first phase of the league, in addition to money, will bring the sporting benefit of maintaining home advantage in all rounds. In the previous edition, this preference of playing the second leg at home for the higher-ranked teams was only maintained in the round of 16. Now this privilege will be maintained in subsequent rounds. This change will affect not only the Champions League, but also the Europa League, the Conference League and the Women’s Champions League.
In the Champions League won by PSG, the top eight were assured of playing the second leg of the round of 16 at home, but from then on they lost that privilege, which was decided randomly by a draw
The seeded teams, who will be the teams that finish 1st to 4th in the league phase, will play the second leg of the quarter-finals at home. The same will happen in the semi-finals. In this case, the first and second placed teams will play the second leg at home. If in the round of 16 a team ranked 24th, for example, eliminates a seeded team, it will take over the rights of the team that has been eliminated, becoming a seeded team
There were two paths in the finalists, one that was at the top of the league phase – Inter – and another that did not sneak into the best – PSG. While Inter, with its presence in the final, confirmed the good league phase it did by finishing in fourth position, PSG, which was saved from being eliminated in the last match finishing in 15th position, had to go through the previous round to seal its presence in the round of 16.
A fortune
What does not change is the financial distribution, that is, the money that each team can earn for sporting merits. In the three-year period that began last summer, there was already a total increase of 21% in revenues distributed. The figure amounts to 2.47 billion euros. All teams competing in the initial phase receive 18.6 million euros
In terms of what can be earned per match, a win comes with a prize of €2.1 million and a draw with €0.7 million for each team. In addition, at the end of the league phase, clubs benefit from a sliding scale of prizes depending on their position in the table, with amounts ranging from €0.7 million to €10 million. The round of 16 is worth €11 million, the quarter-finals €12.5 million, the semi-finals €15 million and the finalists €18.5 million. The winner of the tournament will receive €25 million
Champions League 2025/26 calendar
Matchday 1: 16-18 September 2025.
Matchday 2: September 30-October 1, 2025.
Matchday 3: October 21/22, 2025.
Matchday 4: November 4/5, 2025.
Matchday 5: November 25/26, 2025.
Matchday 6: December 9/10, 2025.
Matchday 7: January 20/21, 2026.
Matchday 8: January 28, 2026.
Knockout play-offs: 17/18 and 24/25 February 2026.
Round of 16: March 10/11 and 17/18, 2026.
Quarter-finals: April 7/8 and 14/15, 2026.
Semifinals: April 28/29 and May 5/6, 2026.
Final: May 30, 2026 (Budapest).
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