UEFA Dismisses Reports Of UCL Format Changes After Super League Talks

‎UEFA on Monday dismissed reports suggesting it plans to alter the format of the Champions League.

‎The governing body insisted that no changes were being considered despite claims of ongoing discussions with Super League organisers.

‎Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo reported on Saturday that UEFA had held multiple meetings in recent months with A22, the company driving the Super League initiative.

‎Representatives from Real Madrid and Barcelona were also said to have attended those talks.

‎According to Mundo Deportivo, the meetings explored potential reforms that would align the Champions League more closely with the Super League concept, such as increasing high-profile matchups and offering free-to-air broadcasts.

‎However, the discussions reportedly ended without any concrete agreement. A source close to the Super League project later confirmed talks with UEFA had indeed taken place.

‎”We can confirm reports that [UEFA general secretary] Theodore Theodoridis had met with [A22 co-founder] Mr Anas Laghrari on a few occasions,” UEFA told ESPN in a statement.

‎”These meetings occurred in public settings, and any suggestion that they were ‘secret’ is entirely false. No formal outcomes resulted from these conversations. We categorically reaffirm that there are no plans to change the format of the UEFA Champions League.”

‎The Champions League’s current format was introduced for the 2024-25 season, when the old group stage was replaced by a league phase, with 36 teams taking part.

‎In December 2024, A22 unveiled an updated Super League proposal featuring a three-tier structure with 64 clubs and a system of promotion and relegation between the divisions. The matches would be streamed for free on a new platform called “Unify.”

‎The move followed a ruling by the European Court of Justice in 2023 which found that UEFA and FIFA had “abused a dominant position” under EU law in their reaction to the Super League’s attempted launch two years earlier.

‎On Saturday, Mundo Deportivo revealed that following several meetings with UEFA in recent months, the Super League organisers had tabled a new compromise proposal.

‎The plan aims to introduce modifications to the Champions League starting from 2027.

‎The competition would keep the name “Champions League,” the report said, with the 36 participating teams being split into two groups according to their UEFA rankings for the league phase, ensuring more matchups between top teams.