Report: More change is coming to the Champions League

Starting next season, the UEFA Champions League will introduce new advantages for top-performing teams in the league phase during the knockout stages. Teams finishing in the top 8 will receive specific benefits regarding the home leg order in their ties.

The advantages are tiered based on league phase ranking: Teams finishing 1st and 2nd will play the second leg at home in every single knockout tie. Teams finishing 3rd and 4th will play the second leg at home during the Round of 16 and the Quarterfinals. Teams finishing between 5th and 8th will play the second leg at home only in the Round of 16.

A unique provision allows lower-ranked teams to inherit advantages: If a team eliminates one of the top 4 ranked teams during the Round of 16, they will take over the home advantage (second leg) that the eliminated top 4 team would have had in subsequent rounds (Quarterfinals and beyond). This system is theorized to incentivize stronger teams to perform better earlier in the competition while also offering more opportunities to lesser clubs.