There will be a change to the Champions League rules next season, which could have direct consequences for Arsenal and Liverpool.
UEFA has already decided to adapt the new competition stage format, despite it only being introduced at the start of last season.
While the expanded structure has produced more matches and late drama, it has also attracted some criticism, and now UEFA is planning to change the format of the matches.
Champions League rules change explained
From the 2026/2027 season, UEFA will prevent the same competition stage from being repeated in three consecutive campaigns when the same team is at home.
Simply put, if a club faces the same opponent in the competition phase two seasons in a row, UEFA’s draw software will ensure that that home match does not take place for the third year in a row.
Inverted fixtures are still allowed. So a team can still face the same opponent, but only away from home if they have already hosted them twice.
Changes to the Champions League rules will affect Arsenal and Liverpool
Arsenal and Liverpool are among the clubs most likely to feel the impact of this rule change following recent Champions League matches.
Liverpool have hosted Real Madrid at Anfield in consecutive seasons, winning 2-0 in 2024 and 1-0 in 2025. Under the new rules, that exact match would not be allowed for a third season in a row.
Arsenal fall into a similar category after back-to-back visits to Inter Milan. The Gunners lost 1-0 at San Siro in 2024 before returning to win 3-1 earlier this month. If the draw were to take place in the same way again, the UEFA system would now prevent this.
Arsenal will almost certainly feature in next year’s competition, but Liverpool’s chances are somewhat in jeopardy as they sit sixth in the Premier League after 23 games.
That’s the case even as the Premier League is on course to secure five Champions League places for the 2026/2027 season.
How the Champions League League stage works
The Champions League competition stage consists of 36 teams instead of traditional groups.
Teams qualify via positions in the domestic league, alongside the winners of the previous season’s Champions League and Europa League, plus clubs that progress through the qualifying rounds.
The games are divided into four pots based on the UEFA coefficient rankings. Each team will play a total of eight matches and face two opponents from each pot, one at home and one away.
Clubs cannot play against teams from the same country, nor may they play against more than two teams from another country. The new restriction on repeat matches will now be applied on top of these rules.
#Champions #League #rules #affect #Arsenal #Liverpool