Uefa Announces ‘game-changing’ Women’s Champions League Plans
UEFA has confirmed a ‘game-changing’ overhaul of the UEFA Women’s Champions League which, from the 2021/22 season will include a group stage for the first time.
The changes to the competition were announced by the UEFA Executive Committee, and will see a mini-tournament qualification stage consisting of a semi-final and final take place before the advancing teams take part in a 16-team group stage. European football’s governing body says the format will ensure that teams from 10 countries compete among the top 16 teams in the competition.
The group stage itself will see teams play each other home and away, with the winners and runners-up in each group qualifying for the two-legged quarter-finals.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin says that the decision to shake up the competition will increase the media exposure for the tournament, with specific steps taken to ensure that coverage is maximised. That includes provision that games in each round are scheduled so that they do not clash with other major fixtures in the European football calendar.
It also includes centralising the tournament’s broadcast rights which, up until now, had been sold by clubs. The final was sold seperately by UEFA. From 2021, broadcasters will be able to acquire bulk rights.
“Today’s decision is a game changer for women’s football,” said UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, “The world’s best women’s club competition will get both the platform and visibility it deserves.”
“When we launched our ground-breaking women’s football strategy #TimeForAction earlier this year, we promised to take concrete steps to ensure a more professional and prosperous women’s game. By guaranteeing teams more matches against their elite rivals, we believe that the group structure will raise the quality of the women’s game even more.”
The top six countries by ranking will each receive three entries into the competition, with England’s quota of three representing an extra place for Barclays FA Women’s Super League teams from 2021/22 onwards.
“The world’s best women’s club competition will get both the platform and visibility it deserves.”
This is how the new @UWCL will work… #UWCL pic.twitter.com/CUMLzDFZW8
— UEFA (@UEFA) December 4, 2019
