Champions League changes set to rock Europe’s elite

Recent meetings in Nyon between representatives of the global players' union FIFPro, including its president Sergio Marchi, and UEFA officials, led by president Aleksander Ceferin, could lead to a groundbreaking change in the Champions League: the elimination of extra time.

While discussions are still in the informal stage and no official proposal has been put forward, momentum is growing around the idea. Players have long voiced concerns over the relentless fixture schedule, increased playing time, and physical strain. One possible solution, as first reported by The Guardian, would be to scrap extra time altogether—though any changes would not take effect in the current tournament.

UEFA is well aware of the toll modern football is taking on players, and Ceferin has openly acknowledged the issue on multiple occasions. Under this potential new rule, all knockout-stage matches ending in a draw after regulation would go directly to penalty kicks, eliminating 30 minutes of additional fatigue and tension.

The trend of removing extra time has already gained traction in various competitions. Spain’s Super Cup, now held in Saudi Arabia, has adopted the format. The UEFA Super Cup, such as last year’s Sevilla vs. Manchester City clash, also skips extra time and heads straight to penalties if tied. Many domestic cup tournaments and third-place matches in major international competitions have already implemented similar measures.

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If adopted, the Champions League would undergo another major transformation, doing away with the traditional half-hour of additional play used to decide many closely contested encounters—a true revolution for the tournament.

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