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Champions League expansion plans may widen the wealth gap between clubs in the Premier League

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This week, football fans from across the world were excited to read about the new changes that are coming soon to the Champions League.

These changes will take effect starting from 2024 and many people are speculating on the overall impact that they will have on the league. Most fans are also eager to see if Bayern Munich will be able to do a repeat of last year or if another team.

Champions League betting sites have Bayern Munich as the favorite to win over Man City, but only by a slim margin. At the time this article was written, online betting UK sportsbook 888 sports, had Bayern Munich at 3.75/1 to win, as opposed to Man City 4/1, an incredibly tight margin.

People are already discussing the fact that some of these changes might have a very negative effect on certain teams and even on some local leagues. Read on to find out what these changes are exactly and how they might impact the entire world of European football.

Will Changes Widen the Gap?

Here is a list of the changes that will take effect starting in 2024 in the Champions League:

  • A “Swiss system”: Instead of having a regular format with group stages, UEFA are opting to switch to what is commonly known as a Swiss system. All of the teams will be seeded in one single division and drawn against each other in the group phase before moving on to the knock-out rounds. A clear advantage of this change is that matchups will be more varied and it will also address the fact that most fans think that group stages have become increasingly stale over the years.
  • Backup slots for elite clubs: These slots will be available for elite clubs that don’t manage to qualify through domestic competitions. Many people think that this change might prove disastrous and somewhat unfair, given that other teams will still have to compete in domestic leagues in order to get to the Champions League.
  • An increase in the number of competing teams: The number of total teams will be increased by four to a total of 36 teams. This change will also supersize the number of matches played by 100 games each season which would mean more money in the league’s pockets. For individual teams, this will mean that they will have to play a guaranteed total of ten matches instead of six.

So why are people worried about all of these changes. Well, to start off, the main issue that everyone is clamoring about is money. Money is the main factor given by league officials for these changes, to begin with.

They are hoping that an increase in games will increase revenue from broadcasting rights and other sources of income. But this can also have a negative effect on local leagues for example. If broadcasters are paying more money for Champions League matches, won’t that mean less money for local leagues? This won’t mean that local leagues will be ignored but broadcasters will definitely prioritize spending money on the Champions League since it brings in more viewers.

These changes will also give the teams competing in the Champions League more money. More money which they can spend on better players. This could lead to even more imbalanced local leagues where any team that is currently participating in the Champions League might end up having a much stronger team than the competition. Obviously, the fact that those top teams will also have many more matches to play in the Champions League could lead to more fatigue on their players, evening the scales by a small margin.

Countries like England, Spain, Italy, and Germany currently have four guaranteed slots in the group stages of the Champions League. These changes will allow teams who don’t make that top four in their local league to still have a shot. Three of the four additional slots that have been introduced will be up for grabs for such teams. These three slots will be chosen according to the historic record in Europe that those teams have. The fourth and final extra spot could go to France, given that they only have two guaranteed slots while a third team has to actually qualify in order to make it.

In our honest opinion, all these changes make sense from a financial standpoint. It will obviously be beneficial for the Champions League as well as all of the teams that are involved. But what about local leagues and teams that don’t regularly play in the Champions League. The impact of these changes will only be evident after a few years have passed but my estimation is that it might lead to some very unfair local leagues. Sadly, the sport has become more and more dictated by money and who can afford the best players for their roster. This change could have a negative impact in this particular area and only increase the gap between teams. Overall, this will lead to some exhilarating matches since teams will be competing for more money, but it will also lead to some very unequal matches at the local level.

Conclusion

No matter how much we speculate on the impact of these changes, they are still going to happen. You can’t blame UEFA for trying to capitalize more on their main asset. The mix between a Swiss system, backup slots for elite clubs, and a higher number of clubs being able to join will certainly make next year’s tournament more exciting and interesting for viewers, fans, and sponsors alike. Whatever the outcome we are definitely keeping a keen eye on the development of UEFA proposed changes.

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