UEFA Reveal Changes to Women’s Champions League Format

UEFA is making significant changes to women’s club soccer, which includes the Women’s Champions League and a new second-tier European women’s club competition.

Starting from the 2025/26 season, the Women’s Champions League will see a major overhaul. The key change is the addition of a league stage with 18 clubs, expanding from the current group stage structure. Instead of teams playing three opponents twice (home and away), the new format will have teams facing six different opponents in the league stage. This means each team will play half of their matches at home and the other half away.

Importantly, UEFA has clarified that these changes will not increase the number of matches during the league stage. Instead, it aims to create more competitive matchups earlier in the tournament, offering a broader range of opponents.

In parallel, a new second-tier European women’s club competition, similar to the men’s UEFA Europa League, will be introduced. This competition will provide more teams with the opportunity to participate in European competitions and a chance for teams eliminated early in the Women’s Champions League to compete for continental honors.

The winner of the second-tier competition will gain automatic qualification for the second round of the champions path in the following season’s Women’s Champions League, streamlining the qualification process.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin stated that these changes reflect UEFA’s commitment to developing women’s football and providing more opportunities for clubs and players.

Nadine Kessler, UEFA Managing Director of Women’s Football, added that these changes mark a milestone in the professionalisation of European women’s club football and will help grow the sport domestically and strengthen the European football pyramid.

UEFA’s initiatives aim to boost women’s club soccer by introducing these changes, making the competitions more competitive and accessible.