Not only the number of clubs has increased, but also the format of competition has changed. Earlier in the group league, each club played with three clubs on home and away basis. But under the new rules, each club in the group league will have to play against eight clubs. The top eight clubs on the points table after the group stage will get a chance in the last 16 directly.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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The UEFA executive committee has agreed to increase the number of clubs in the Champions League from 32 to 36. Everyone agreed on the proposal at a meeting in Vienna on Tuesday. This time, UEFA will officially announce the proposal once it is passed through a referendum. From 2024, the Champions League can be played under new rules.
It is learned that out of the four clubs being expanded, two clubs will get opportunities from the domestic leagues of the two countries which are at the top of the UEFA rankings. In other words, if this rule is implemented from next year, the club in the fifth place of the English Premier League and the second place in the domestic league of the Netherlands will get a direct opportunity to play in the Champions League.
One of the other two clubs will be drawn from the fifth-ranked domestic league in the UEFA rankings. France’s League One is in fifth place at the moment. The fourth club will be a club that has not had a chance to play in the Champions League directly after winning the domestic league. Usually it will be a club from a country below UEFA.
Not only the number of clubs has increased, but also the format of competition has changed. Earlier in the group league, each club played with three clubs on home and away basis. But under the new rules, each club in the group league will have to play against eight clubs. The top eight clubs on the points table after the group stage will get a chance in the last 16 directly.
Clubs ranked ninth to 24th will play on home and away basis. From there, eight clubs will get a chance in the last sixteen.
