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UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup revised from 2009 onwards

The UEFA Executive Committee today approved the proposed changes to both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Cup competitions for the three-year cycle between 2009 and 2012, as from the 2009-10 season, as follows:

UEFA Champions League

• No changes to the main competition, involving 32 teams, split into 8 groups of 4 teams in the group stage, followed by the knockout phase. The 8 teams that finish the groups in third place cross over into the knockout phase of the UEFA Cup.

• Access list changed according to the following principles: 22 teams qualify directly for the group phase instead of 16 (N3 of associations 1 to 3 in the ranking and champions of countries 10 to 12 are added); 10 teams qualify through a double qualification path: one reserved for the champions of the associations ranked 13 to 53 - except Liechtenstein - (5 teams qualify) and one reserved for non-champions of associations ranked 1 to 15 (5 teams qualify).

• Final to be played on a Saturday, same week of the year as today, with kick-off time at 20.45 CET.

• Matches in the first knockout round (last 16) to be split over four weeks instead of two, using dates reserved for the UEFA club competitions (February-March) to maximize live match opportunities.

• Third qualifying round (Q3) to be marketed centrally by UEFA.

UEFA Cup

• Main competition changed according to the following principles: first round (knockout) becomes part of the qualifying phase; the group phase consists of 48 teams, split into 12 groups of 4 teams; the top two in each group qualify for the knockout phase and are joined by the 8 teams that finish the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in third place.

The knockout phase, with 32 teams and 4 rounds, will lead to the final, played in a single match at a neutral venue.

• Access list changed according to the following principles: only the titleholders qualify directly or the group phase; all other clubs have to qualify; UEFA Cup qualifying phase consists of 4 rounds, according to the access list; 37 slots added to the qualifying phase to accommodate clubs that currently qualify for the UEFA Intertoto Cup (associations ranked 9 to 15 and 22 to 51, except Liechtenstein); the losers of the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round (Q2) and third qualifying round (Q3) cross over into to the UEFA Cup, Q4 and group phase respectively.

• Matches to be played on Thursday night (and on Wednesday night during the exclusive UEFA Cup weeks), with two kick-off times, an early one and a late one, in principle at 19.05 and 21.05.

• Final to be played on a Wednesday at 20.45 CET.

• Full centralisation of media rights from the group stage (September); non exclusive presenting sponsor plus centralised match-ball for the group stage and full sponsorship centralisation (as for the UEFA Champions League) from the knockout stage (February).

The UEFA Intertoto Cup will be abolished.

Finally, for the UEFA Super Cup no changes are made to the format but commercially it will be bundled with the UEFA Champions League.

For further information:
UEFA Media Services: ++41 848 04 27 27

Kicking violence out of sport is theme at Brussels conference

The European Commission, jointly with the Portuguese Presidency of the Council, the European Parliament and in association with UEFA, is holding a high-level conference entitled, “Towards a European Union Strategy against violence in sport” on 28 and 29 November 2007 in Brussels. The distinguished participants include European Commission Vice-President Franco Frattini, European Commissioner Ján Figel’, high ranking representatives from the Member States, members of the European Parliament, the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and the UEFA President, Michel Platini.

The Commission Action Plan for Sport, named the Pierre de Coubertin Plan in honour of the Frenchman who founded the International Olympic Committee, was adopted in summer 2007 as part of the Commission’s White Paper on Sport. The high-level conference is one of the first actions in the Plan.

The conference is bringing together a range of practical experience from more than 150 delegates from EU Member States. It aims at delivering a multi-disciplinary approach to the fight against violence in sport, and promoting day-to-day cooperation between all the stakeholders. The conference will send an important signal about the political commitment of all relevant European institutions and the Member States to combating violence in sport. The conference conclusions will focus on specific actions with the aim of building up a more structured dialogue between all stakeholders, including national and local governments, law enforcement agencies, judicial authorities and sport organisations.

UEFA President, Michel Platini, said: “At the beginning of the year I came to Brussels and in the presence of President Barroso, I denounced the evils that were menacing and continue to menace European sport. In February, somewhat provocatively, I launched the idea of a European police force for sport, but slowly my idea has taken off.

“Violence is a problem of society and as football is at the centre of our social lives, it is unfortunately common that the perpetrators of violence seek to take over a game as visible and popular as football. We must therefore act to protect sport and to give judges the means to enforce the law. UEFA already encourages partnerships between national associations, clubs and national police. Now sporting organisations, governments and the public forces of law and order must also co-operate.”

Vice-President Franco Frattini, Commissioner responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security, explained the significance of the event: “Violence in sport is clearly destructive and counter-productive. We must strengthen our efforts to prevent violence in particular as risk supporters can and do exploit variations in policing, judicial and in stadia safety and security arrangements. But on its own, no country can find the best solutions for tackling hooliganism and violence in sport. The European Commission has a key role to play in that it can facilitate the active involvement of law enforcement services, judicial authorities, sports federations, supporters organisations and other stakeholders so that ultimately we can all enjoy sport peacefully.”

Mr Ján Figel’, the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, including sport, continued: “Sport is an activity that benefits our health, but it also has an important societal and economic role, because it can strengthen social links and act as a catalyst for social integration. Sport can also mobilise the best and the worst in people. We must see how we can help sport fully develop its positive potential, while curbing those negative activities that spoil its beneficial impacts, such as violence. I am glad that with our Action Plan, and today’s Conference, we can make tangible progress to prevent and reduce any kind of violence in sport.”

For further information: http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/news/events/news_events_en.htm

Contacts:

Friso ROSCAM ABBING (+32 2 296 67 46)

UEFA Media Services (+41 848 04 27 27)

Steaua Bucuresti 1-1 Slavia Prague

Manchester United 2-1 Sporting Lisbon

Stuttgart 3-2 Glasgow Rangers

FC Sevilla 3-1 Arsenal

Inter Milan 3-0 Fenerbahce

Dynamo Kiev 1-4 AS Roma

CSKA Moscow 0-1 PSV

Olympique Lyon 2-2 FC Barcelona

Top two from each group go through to fourth round of qualifying, where the 10 teams are drawn into two groups of five. The winners and runners up of each group qualify for World Cup 2010, while the two third placed teams playoff against each other to earn the right to playoff against (and probably beat) a team from Oceania (probably New Zealand) for a World Cup spot.

Group 1: Australia, Iraq, Qatar and China.
Group 2: Oman, Thailand, Bahrain, Japan.
Group 3: North Korea, Jordan, Turkmenistan, South Korea.
Group 4: Lebanon, Singapore, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia.
Group 5: Syria, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iran.