UEFA changes the playoff format of European competitions. A surprising new twist introduced

In the previous Champions League season, teams that finished between 1st and 8th place in the league stage automatically earned the right to play the second leg of the round of 16 at home. But beyond that, nothing else was guaranteed for them. Starting this season, everything changes.

Details: According to Marca, the UEFA Executive Committee has approved changes to the seeding for the playoffs of European competitions and the Women's Champions League. Teams that finish between 1st and 4th place in the league stage are now guaranteed to play the second leg of the quarterfinals at home. Teams in 1st and 2nd place will also host the second leg of the semifinals in their own stadiums.

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However, there’s an important nuance. Now, teams can earn this "home advantage" for themselves. If a team that finishes below 8th place eliminates a higher-ranked opponent in the playoffs, they automatically inherit that opponent’s “ranking” and the right to play the second leg at home in the following rounds.

Let’s illustrate this with an example. In the Champions League round of 16, if 15th-placed PSG knocked out top-seeded Liverpool, and if this rule had been in effect last season, PSG would have played the second legs of both the quarterfinals and semifinals at home.

Reminder: Today, with the matches of the first qualifying round of the Champions League and the Conference League, the 2025/2026 European club season has officially kicked off. Qualifying will continue through the end of August, with the league stage matches of European competitions beginning in mid-September.