{"id":5592,"date":"2025-10-13T23:41:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T21:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weisetech.dev\/fc-barcelona-noticias\/en\/champions-league-will-have-single-opening-match-from-2027_315018_102\/"},"modified":"2025-10-13T23:41:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T21:41:00","slug":"champions-league-will-have-single-opening-match-from-2027_315018_102","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fcbarcelonanoticias.com\/en\/champions-league\/champions-league-will-have-single-opening-match-from-2027_315018_102.html","title":{"rendered":"More changes for the Champions League: there will be only one inaugural match from 2027\/28"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/h2> \r\n
\r\n \r\n \r\n Calendar of FC Barcelona <\/a>\r\n<\/div>

The latest general assembly of UEFA<\/strong> and its new European Football Club Association (EFC)<\/strong> allowed the highest body of European football to update some aspects related to the commercialization of the Champions League<\/strong>.<\/p>

In conjunction with UC3<\/strong>, the company in charge of the exploitation rights of UEFA tournaments together with Relevent Football Partners<\/strong>, it was approved to implement an inaugural match with the defending champion as host<\/strong> starting in the 2027\/28 season.<\/p>

Matchday 1, as in the last two seasons, will be the only one played over three days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday<\/strong>). However, from 2027, there will not be 9 matches per day, but only one in prime time (21:00 CEST) on Tuesday<\/strong> and all the others between Wednesday and Thursday.<\/p>

UEFA Changes its Bidding Rights Distribution Model<\/h2>

In addition, UCE and Relevent will launch a simultaneous tender in the countries of the big five leagues<\/strong> (Spain, Italy, England, Germany and France) for the rights to their UEFA men’s club competitions (UMCC).<\/p>

This will include not only the Champions League, but also the Europa League<\/a><\/strong>, the Conference League<\/strong>, and the European Super Cup<\/a><\/strong>, along with the Youth League<\/strong> and Futsal Champions League<\/strong>. Contracts from now on will be for four years, with the aim of “attracting a wider range of partners.”<\/p>

Globally, a package with only one Champions League match per day<\/strong> will also be launched, preserving the ‘premium’ nature of Europe’s top club competition when structuring its distribution and sponsorship packages and licenses.<\/p>

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<\/strong>, setting their sights on the next two decades.<\/p>

The defending champion will always debut at home starting in 2027<\/h2>

In addition to playing the opening match, from 27\/28, the defending Champions League champion will always debut at home<\/strong>. With this, UEFA emulates what FIFA did in the World Cup<\/a> between 1974 and 2002, when the reigning champion was in charge of opening the tournament and not the local team.<\/p>

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).<\/p>