New Rule : Will UEFA remove Extra-Time from next season?

UEFA is considering removing extra time from Champions League knockout matches starting in the 2025/26 season, opting for direct penalty shootouts to reduce player fatigue. Learn more about the proposed changes and their potential impact.

UCL
UCL

A plan that would have taken deadlocked knockout games directly to penalty shootouts was shelved by UEFA in order to preserve extra time in its top club championships.

The goal of the proposal, which UEFA’s Club Competitions Committee put forth, was to lessen fixture congestion and shield athletes from the increasing physical strain of a busy football schedule.

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However, after considering the advantages and disadvantages, the European governing body chose tradition over change.

“There was pressure to scrap extra time to ease player workload,” reported The Times’ Martyn Ziegler. “But concerns over fairness and gameplay integrity prevailed.”

From the last 16 on, the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League knockout stages would have been impacted by the modification, which would have eliminated the 30-minute overtime session and decided games that were tied via penalties.

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Proponents thought it could assist teams in managing their increasingly demanding schedules, particularly since international competitions now take place virtually every summer. But opponents saw important shortcomings.

Even though it is physically taxing, more time is thought to be a more equitable test of stamina and strategy, particularly in two-legged ties.

Additionally, there were worries that it may give the home club an unfair advantage in the second leg, an issue that UEFA has attempted to address since doing away with the away goals rule in 2021.

15 of the 37 Champions League games that have since gone into extra time have resulted in penalty shootouts. Over half of the overtime games in the Conference Leagues and Europa Leagues concluded on penalties.

One more thing to be afraid of

One more fear? Because the competition’s new Swiss-style league system favours aggressive play, UEFA wishes to avoid a situation where smaller or defensively minded teams play for penalties and play duller, more conservative football.

That system debuted this season, substituting a single 36-team league table for the traditional eight-group arrangement. Teams ranked 9th to 24th must make their way through playoff rounds in order to qualify for the knockout stages, while the top 8 clubs go straight to the round of 16.

Also Read: Clubs With Most Times As Group Winners In UCL History

Another phobia? UEFA wants to prevent a scenario in which smaller or defensively orientated teams play for penalties and play more conservative, boring football, because the competition’s new Swiss-style league format encourages aggressive play.

This season saw the introduction of that system, which replaced the previous eight-group structure with a single 36-team league table. The top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16, while teams seeded ninth through twenty-four must advance via the playoffs to reach the knockout stages.

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Durlabh Sharma is a seasoned sports writer at SportsBigNews, covering a diverse range of sports including football, Formula 1, UFC, and e-sports since 2020. Known for his sharp insights and in-depth reporting, Durlabh brings a dynamic perspective to every piece he writes. From the fast-paced world of F1 to the intensity of the octagon and the ever-evolving e-sports scene, his work captures the thrill and nuance of modern sports culture.