UEFA Champions League Format Explained: Everything You Need to Know about 2025/26 Competition

UEFA is still testing a new format for the Champions League. Teams now can’t rely on their luck, since their performance will be the only success indicator. Many questions remain unanswered. But the football organization is still monitoring how the new format works in practice. Some changes have already been made. You can see even more updates on bookmakers like mr vegas after the 2025/26 season ends.

New Format Basics

UEFA implemented a new format in the 2024/2025 season, which revealed some imperfections. It took time for the football association to make changes before the new season started. A classic group stage has been fully replaced with a single rating, involving 36 teams. The new format offers a dynamic competition since teams are more motivated to demonstrate an excellent performance. Some teams are complaining about its lack of transparency. UEFA is now planning to make the competition more transparent. They will eliminate time limits and make tweaks in seeding and fixture advantages.

New Home Advantage Rule: Who Gets the Major Benefit?

UEFA ensures that teams reaching the top four of the qualification stage will get a home advantage, at least in the initial rounds. Teams finishing first to fourth will play the second leg at home in the round of 16 and 8. The main intrigue comes in the semi-finals. Only teams finishing first or second will host the second leg of the semi-final. In case of their elimination, their last rivals get the benefit. The so-called “inheritance” rule has initiated active debate among both fans and sports experts.

Liverpool served as a great example in the last season. Under the new rule, the team would have hosted the second legs of all knockout rounds. After their elimination, PSG would have inherited a home advantage in a semi-final despite finishing 15th in the qualification stage. Meanwhile, Arsenal didn’t have a chance to play the semi-final second leg at home due to finishing third in the qualification stage.

UEFA is looking for excellent performance by adding a competitive edge to the qualification stage. A new system promises positive changes for one team and negative changes for another. Considering the issue indicated last year, the proper change has been made in the new season. The team like Liverpool should be happy with the change. Showing consistency in the new season can help them enjoy serious benefits.

In the 2025/26 season, a team’s performance will be rewarded beyond the round of 16. The home advantage will be expanded for higher-ranked teams throughout the quarterfinals and semi-finals. The team will host the second leg regardless of the draw, giving a strategic edge to those who demonstrate consistency on the football field. This change will make the latter stages of the European competition more unpredictable.

No Extra Time in Knockouts

UEFA is planning to reduce extra time in the knockout rounds of the Champions League. If a match ends in a draw after one and a half hours, teams receive an additional 30 minutes of extra time. If there is no winner, the team starts a series of penalties. UEFA will skip extra time and go directly to a series of penalties after getting a draw in the main time. The decision has been made to protect the player’s well-being. Football players have more matches in their schedule than ever before, causing a huge physical strain. UEFA and national football associations are determined to reduce health risks for players.

Specialists claim that extra time creates more drama, referring to some legendary matches that have been decided in the last minutes. Extra time can enhance viewership during the major games. With that said, UEFA prioritizes real issues over financial gains.

The Country Protection Rule Implementation

The “country protection” rule won’t let teams from the same country face each other before the quarterfinals. This means that fans won’t see early matchups between Manchester United vs. Manchester City and Real Madrid vs. Barcelona. Many fans enjoyed these matchups, though they reduced the international nature of the early knockout rounds.

Integrating the “country protection” rule will help maintain the diversity of matchups in the knockouts. Teams will have many opponents from different countries, increasing global interest and reducing the early elimination chances for teams from the same country. The change won’t cause any logistical challenges if done carefully.

The potential changes demonstrate UEFA’s intention to address the concerns of top football teams. In the new seasons, we will see how recent changes have affected the flow of football games. After the final, specialists will see if more changes are required.