UEFA is actively considering eliminating extra time from the Champions League knockout rounds, potentially shifting matches directly to penalties. This move aims to reduce the overall minutes played by top clubs, helping to alleviate the strain of an increasingly packed football calendar.
Although any immediate changes are unlikely due to the ongoing television rights cycle, which runs until 2027, the idea is gaining traction among key stakeholders.
Addressing Fixture Congestion
With the Champions League expanding to a new format where each team plays a minimum of eight group-stage matches, concerns over fixture congestion have intensified.
Additionally, 12 European clubs will participate in the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in the United States this summer, further burdening players with an exhausting schedule. Many adjustments to the packed calendar have primarily come at the domestic level, such as the scrapping of FA Cup replays in England. Removing extra time in UEFA competitions could be another step toward easing player workload.
Potential Impact on Smaller Clubs
For underdog teams, abolishing extra time could level the playing field. These sides often struggle to maintain their intensity against elite clubs with deep squads, particularly in extended matches.
By eliminating extra time, UEFA could provide a fairer competitive environment, allowing smaller teams to hold their ground without suffering fatigue-related disadvantages.
Broadcaster and Commercial Considerations
Cutting the additional 30 minutes from matches may also benefit broadcasters, who face the challenge of adjusting schedules for games that unexpectedly extend beyond regular time. A shift to immediate penalty shootouts could enhance the dramatic appeal of knockout matches while ensuring a more predictable broadcast structure. This change could also align with modern audiences’ preference for fast-paced, high-stakes football moments.
Precedents and UEFA’s Stance
While UEFA has yet to formally propose the rule change, it has previously removed extra time from the Super Cup starting in 2023. The organization also eliminated the away goals rule in 2021, signaling a willingness to evolve competition formats. Last season, only three Champions League knockout ties required extra time, with none extending beyond regulation in the 2022-23 season. In the Europa League, the number of games going into extra time has also declined. These trends suggest that scrapping the additional 30 minutes may not be as radical a shift as it once seemed.
For now, UEFA maintains that discussions are informal, and any decision would require approval from its executive committee. However, with fixture congestion, player welfare, and commercial interests at play, the prospect of a Champions League knockout phase without extra time is becoming an increasingly realistic possibility.
