More changes for the Champions League: there will be only one inaugural match from 2027/28
Published New:13/10/2025 - 23:41h
Updated New:13/10/2025 - 23:41h
UEFA continues to update the format and commercial model of the Champions League. Starting in 27/28, there will be only one match on Tuesday of matchday 1, featuring the defending champion
The latest general assembly of UEFA and its new European Football Club Association (EFC) allowed the highest body of European football to update some aspects related to the commercialization of the Champions League.
In conjunction with UC3, the company in charge of the exploitation rights of UEFA tournaments together with Relevent Football Partners, it was approved to implement an inaugural match with the defending champion as host starting in the 2027/28 season.
Matchday 1, as in the last two seasons, will be the only one played over three days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). However, from 2027, there will not be 9 matches per day, but only one in prime time (21:00 CEST) on Tuesday and all the others between Wednesday and Thursday.
UEFA Changes its Bidding Rights Distribution Model
In addition, UCE and Relevent will launch a simultaneous tender in the countries of the big five leagues (Spain, Italy, England, Germany and France) for the rights to their UEFA men's club competitions (UMCC).
This will include not only the Champions League, but also the Europa League, the Conference League, and the European Super Cup, along with the Youth League and Futsal Champions League. Contracts from now on will be for four years, with the aim of "attracting a wider range of partners."
Globally, a package with only one Champions League match per day will also be launched, preserving the 'premium' nature of Europe's top club competition when structuring its distribution and sponsorship packages and licenses.
According to Relevent Football Partners CEO Boris Gartner, these and other changes are being implemented with not only the next four-year cycle in mind, but with a long-term perspective, setting their sights on the next two decades.
The defending champion will always debut at home starting in 2027
In addition to playing the opening match, from 27/28, the defending Champions League champion will always debut at home. With this, UEFA emulates what FIFA did in the World Cup between 1974 and 2002, when the reigning champion was in charge of opening the tournament and not the local team.
Similarly, the Champions League tries to give maximum attention to the opening day with a single match, something that for now only happens with the semi-finals (one is played on Tuesday and the other on Wednesday) and the final (since 2010 it has been played on Saturdays).
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