UEFA’s executive committee has reacted to the threat of a breakaway from the European Super League (ESL) by unanimously voting to punish the new Champions League league with 36 teams.
At a vote Monday in Montreux, Switzerland, the executive committee made a decision to expand the Champions League from the current format of 32 teams with the reformed tournament, which begins at the start of the 2024-25 season.
BVB CEO: Bayern, Dortmund reject Super League
– Sir Alex: Super League a ‘move away’ from history
– Super League begins legal action after threats
With the change, each club will play ten group matches, rather than six, before advancing to a knockout system of 16 teams in the second half of the season.
Sources told ESPN that Nasser Al-Khelaifi, president of Paris Saint-Germain, was among those who voted, and the French champions were not involved in the ESL plan.
UEFA is driven to make the Champions League more profitable for participating clubs, but with 12 of the top teams in Europe announcing on Sunday that they will form the ESL, it is unclear whether the new tournament will allow the parties to compete in to form.
UEFA President Alexander Ceferin is due to speak publicly at CET on Monday at 2.30pm about the changes in the Champions League and the threat of a breakaway league.