From 2027, the UEFA Champions League may undergo significant changes in format and broadcasting system. According to Cope, the organizations have been negotiating for about eight months, although no final decisions have been made yet.
The tournament is planned to keep the name «Champions League» and the number of participants — 36 teams. However, instead of one large group stage, a division into two subgroups is anticipated: the first will comprise 18 of the strongest clubs according to UEFA ratings for the season, while the second will include the remaining teams. Each team will play 8 matches — four at home and four away, only against opponents from their subgroup. Qualification for the playoffs will remain through national leagues and coefficients.
According to the proposals, the top eight teams from the first group will directly advance to the round of 16, while the format for the exit of the other 16 teams to the round of 32 is still under discussion. This approach will ensure more significant matches each week and reduce the number of encounters against low-ranked teams.
Major changes are also expected regarding broadcasting rights: instead of selling rights to TV channels, UEFA might create its own streaming platform — a sort of «Netflix» for the Champions League. This will lower access costs for fans and increase club revenues from TV rights.
Preliminary calculations suggest that the first group for the 2025/2026 season could include: «Real», «Manchester City», «Bavaria», «Liverpool», «PSG», «Inter», «Chelsea», «Borussia Dortmund», «Barcelona», «Arsenal», «Bayer», «Atletico», «Benfica», «Atalanta», «Villarreal», «Juventus», PSV, and «Napoli».
The second group includes «Eintracht», «Brugge», «Tottenham», «Ajax», «Sporting», «Olympiacos», «Slavia Prague», «Bodø/Glimt», «Marseille», «Copenhagen», «Monaco», «Galatasaray», «Kairat», «Union», «Paphos», «Athletic», «Newcastle», and «Karabakh».
Changes are still in the discussion stage.