UEFA announced that it will fully computerize the Champions League draw from next season following its new format.
On Tuesday, March 12, the European football governing body declared that the League's new format is so complex and the draw will be made by computer after the officials found that it would take up to four hours without digital assistant.
The competition will be expanded to 36 teams from the 2024/2025 season, with all teams in one league table.
According to reports, clubs will be manually drawn initially, and then a computer will take over and select their 8 opponents for the 36-team league.
For instance, if pot one contains Barcelona, Napoli, Paris Saint Germain, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Sevilla, Feyenoord, Real Madrid, and Benfica, UEFA will only draw out one team, such as Real Madrid. The fixtures would then be displayed one by one by computer draw.
There will be four pots of nine teams, determined by UEFA’s ranking, with a club facing two opponents from each pot.
Each club will play eight games, four at home and four away. From there, the top eight teams go through to the round of 16, while the rest of the teams (16) will compete in the playoffs for the knockout phase.
It is a system the governing body believes will deliver more big games and a greater chance than the current Champions League format, but explaining its complexness may prove a challenge.
In a change from the current arrangement, a team will face opponents from their own pot, one team at home and another away. They will also face two opponents from each of the other pots.
Clubs will not be able to draw teams from their own country unless there are too many in one particular pot which would make a clash unavoidable.
UEFA claims the method will be secure, and that it will be audited by the accountancy firm Ernst and Young to ensure the draws (which will be broadcast) are fair.
With this season’s competitions reaching the quarter-final stages, UEFA has got on the front foot in trying to explain its new format.
The new format has been under debate since 2018 and was agreed upon by the UEFA administrator weeks before the European Super League tried its abortive takeoff.
The format will remain under serious inspection as club owners and fans examine its worth.
On Tuesday, March 12, the European football governing body declared that the League's new format is so complex and the draw will be made by computer after the officials found that it would take up to four hours without digital assistant.
The competition will be expanded to 36 teams from the 2024/2025 season, with all teams in one league table.
According to reports, clubs will be manually drawn initially, and then a computer will take over and select their 8 opponents for the 36-team league.
For instance, if pot one contains Barcelona, Napoli, Paris Saint Germain, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Sevilla, Feyenoord, Real Madrid, and Benfica, UEFA will only draw out one team, such as Real Madrid. The fixtures would then be displayed one by one by computer draw.
There will be four pots of nine teams, determined by UEFA’s ranking, with a club facing two opponents from each pot.
Each club will play eight games, four at home and four away. From there, the top eight teams go through to the round of 16, while the rest of the teams (16) will compete in the playoffs for the knockout phase.
It is a system the governing body believes will deliver more big games and a greater chance than the current Champions League format, but explaining its complexness may prove a challenge.
In a change from the current arrangement, a team will face opponents from their own pot, one team at home and another away. They will also face two opponents from each of the other pots.
Clubs will not be able to draw teams from their own country unless there are too many in one particular pot which would make a clash unavoidable.
UEFA claims the method will be secure, and that it will be audited by the accountancy firm Ernst and Young to ensure the draws (which will be broadcast) are fair.
With this season’s competitions reaching the quarter-final stages, UEFA has got on the front foot in trying to explain its new format.
The new format has been under debate since 2018 and was agreed upon by the UEFA administrator weeks before the European Super League tried its abortive takeoff.
The format will remain under serious inspection as club owners and fans examine its worth.