Nyon, Switzerland: Uefa yesterday confirmed that they will push ahead with previously announced plans to reform the Champions League and will provide compensation for smaller leagues affected by the changes.
European football’s governing body made the announcement after an executive committee meeting at their base in Nyon, Switzerland.
In August, European football’s governing body had revealed that the continent’s four leading leagues – Spain, England, Germany and Italy – would be guaranteed four places in the Champions League group stage for the period 2018-2021.
The move had been backed by the European Clubs Association (ECA) made up of the continent’s biggest clubs but the European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) body had been opposed to the changes on the basis that they overly favoured the current elite and felt they would hog the prize money as a result.
To ease concerns after meeting with the EPFL, Uefa’s new Slovenian president Aleksander Ceferin said that the current number of berths in the Champions League would be maintained for all countries.
Furthermore, domestic champions who are eliminated in the qualifying rounds will get a second chance in European competitions by entering a “dedicated champions’ path” in Europa League qualification.
Previously there was no second chance on offer to these teams.
In addition, a pool of 50 million euros ($52.7m) will be passed down by the Champions League to the Europa League, “and a further 10m euros will be earmarked also from the Uefa Champions League as additional solidarity distribution for the qualifying rounds.”
The club coefficient system will also be looked at to avoid teams from top-ranked leagues gaining an unfair advantage – for example, a club like Leicester City, with little European track record, would not benefit so much simply from coming out of the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Uefa announced yesterday that the 2018 Europa League final will be played in the French city of Lyon.