UEFA Changes Champions League Profits Rules 2025/2026

JAKARTA - UEFA has confirmed a new regulation for the knockout stages of the Champions League which affects home profits in the second leg.

In May 2025, it was revealed that the regulation would be amended from the 2025/2026 season, with the second leg based on achievement, not random lottery.

UEFA will determine which teams will play at home in the second leg of the quarter-finals and semifinals based on the final position of the league phase.

For example, the team in third place will play at home against the team in 15th place for the second leg.

However, UEFA decided to give priority only to teams that finished in the first to fourth positions or clubs that got rid of them.

The first to fourth ranked teams are guaranteed to play at home in the second leg in the last 16 and quarter-finals if they qualify. Teams ranked first and second are even confirmed to get second leg home priorities in the semifinals.

One of these changes refers to Arsenal's frustration because they have to play the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain in France for the 2024/2025 season even though they are in third place in the league and PSG in 15th place.

However, this regulatory change will not benefit Arsenal in the example of last season's case. Since PSG eliminated Liverpool who were ranked first in the round of 16, the Ligue 1 team will win home priorities from Liverpool when they meet the Gunners.

So, despite being PSG in the 15th place in the league phase, they will be guaranteed to get the second leg of the home in the quarter-finals and semi-finals.

This means that if the same thing happens in the 2025/2026 season, Arsenal still have to play the second leg at home to the opponent.

This reduces the chance to get a higher position in the top eight and provides opportunities for teams outside the top position to get priority seeds.

UEFA's decision created an imbalance, an additional split in the knockout system bracket.

This is detrimental to the team who finished third to sixth because it is now impossible for both of them to play at home in the semifinal second leg.

Only the team that finishes in certain positions has the opportunity to get the semifinal second leg at home, namely first, second, seventh, eighth, ninth, 10th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 23rd, and 24th.

Changes to this rule will create a different semifinal order. Take for example the Barcelona (second) vs Internazionale (fourth) season 2024/2025.

Serie A team, which reached the final, was drawn at home. However, with the new system, Barcelona will automatically get priority.

Another example, Arsenal will have to play their second leg of their quarter-final against Real Madrid (11) in the Bernabeu season 2024/2025. This position will be behind the 2025/2026 season with the third position automatically getting priority at home in the last eight.

Regulation changes also apply to the Europa League, UEFA Conference League, and Women's Champions League.