The Union of European Football Association (UEFA) is one of the highest fans following championship tournaments that the football world witnesses. However not less than often the norms and the format of the game are played with. Just the previous season the matches had witnessed a massive change in the regulations and the format of the game. Yet another revolution is on the way in 2024 primarily volunteered by the elite owners.
From 2024, the number of games in the Champions League will involve more games giving added opportunities for the teams to survive to make up to knock out level and more. However, this is going to be a test for the interest of the fans. Not to forget, the fans of the teams that have a second chance will be more than fortunate, however. There will be an increase in the number of teams from 32 to 36. In a place where only eight teams would qualify automatically for the round of 16, even finishing 24th out of 36 will secure a chance to enter the 16-team playoff round, removing much of the danger from dropping out early. It is nothing but a desperate try to safeguard oneself from failure. Perhaps it is a licence for the top teams to mess up in the divisional matches and still try to sneak into the knockout stage and thrive.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has stated that the change was introduced so that the dream to participate and win will remain for all clubs throughout. In the current format, teams are divided into eight groups of four, with teams playing each other home and away over six games. The top two in each group would form part of the last 16 when it becomes a knockout tournament, with ties played home and away over two legs, before the final at a neutral venue over one match.
But the new format is to witness a transmute. In the initial phase, there will only be one single league table, with all teams. Every club is to play eight group-stage games against different opponents. Of course, four home ties and four away, for each team. To mark the most interesting part of the change in the format, the top-ranked eight teams from the list would automatically qualify knockout stage. While the teams that rank from 9th to 24th will compete in a two-legged playoff to decide their place in the knockout.
An optimistic look at the modification of the format will trigger one to feel good about the added opportunities created for teams to win. But a rival mind would always want to keep certain teams away from climbing the table. The fact that the change of format has been initiated by the elite owners is unacceptable for many football lovers, for the sole fact that the game is decided over financial wellness alone. However, not so surprisingly, the UEFA has a mind to make similar format changes also in the Europa League and Europa Conference League which will include 36 teams in the league phase.
Any major change in an established format will not be possible single-handed. Predictably the European Club Association (ECA), which represents more than 240 clubs, has also closely knit with UEFA to bring the entire change into a reality by 2024. In an interesting statement, the ECA said that the changes will bring a new look to the game and the relationship between the UEFA and ECA will have a better prospectus.
With the new format implemented, there will be 96 games in the league phase in total which is set to be played in 10 weeks. The UEFA has already confirmed that the tournament opener of the Euro 2024 will be played at Allianz Arena, while the final will be staged in Berlin. Nevertheless, the entire football world is eagerly waiting to digest the change.
