UEFA announce major Champions League rule change less than a week before tournament starts

The Champions League will return next week, and organisers UEFA have made a late change to squad rules which could be music to the ears of some overlooked stars

UEFA have made a late change to European competition squad rules less than a week before the start of the Champions League, with overlooked Premier League players in line to benefit.

The continent’s premier competition kicks off next week with a record six English clubs taking part in the Champions League.

The highlights of the first matchweek include Chelsea travelling to face Harry Kane and Bayern Munich, Premier League champions and current leaders Liverpool hosting Atletico Madrid and Newcastle welcoming Barcelona to St James’ Park.

And all of those clubs – as well as fellow Champions League trio Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham, Europa League qualifiers Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest and Conference League contenders Crystal Palace will be able to make a change to their submitted squads during the group phase.

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UEFA said in a statement on Thursday: “The Executive Committee approved an amendment to the 2025/26 UEFA men’s club competitions’ regulations to admit the temporary replacement of a maximum of one outfield player with long-term injury or illness during the league phase until matchday 6 included.

“The reasoning for the adaptation is to ensure that squad lists are not unfairly reduced and players are safeguarded from additional workload pressure.”

Matchday 6 is the final matchday in the initial Conference League league phase, while the Champions League and Europa League play Matchday 7 and 8 of their league phases in the new year.

It isn’t yet clear what would constitute a ‘long-term injury or illness’ but Chelsea may now be able to replace Liam Delap in their Champions League squad after he was sidelined with a hamstring injury. New signing Facundo Buononotte could be his replacement after he was disappointed to be left out.

Other notable players to miss out on their side’s Champions League squads were Liverpool forward Federico Chiesa, Tottenham striker Mathys Tel and Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus, who himself is nursing an injury.

UEFA have also announced that Atletico Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano stadium will host the 2027 Champions League final, having last hosted it in 2019 when Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-0 in an all Premier League affair.

The National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland will host the Women’s Champions League final in the same year.

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