Champions League holders to play standalone opening fixture at home from 2027-28

The Champions League holders will play a standalone opening fixture at home from the 2027-28 season.

The winners will play in the “marquee” fixture on a Tuesday night to kick off the Champions League, with the remaining opening-round games split across Wednesday and Thursday nights in the exclusive Champions League week.

The change is part of a new strategy for the next broadcast cycle between 2027 and 2033, with further details confirmed by UC3 – the joint venture between UEFA and European Football Clubs – on Monday evening.

As reported by the PA news agency last week, a “global first-pick” package will be available, which would clearly suit a streaming giant with worldwide reach such as DAZN, Netflix or Disney.

If someone did secure those rights, it is understood the first pick would run all the way to the semi-finals.

UC3 also confirmed plans to run the tender process for the rights to the UEFA men’s club competitions in the five biggest European markets – England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain – at the same time, opening up the possibility of a single broadcaster buying the rights to all of them.

UC3 confirmed this would include scope for four-year deals – longer than have ever previously been struck in European markets.

The deadline for the tenders in the top five markets and the global pick package will be November 18, UC3 said.

Charlie Marshall, the co-managing director of UC3, said: “UC3 is all about driving a step change in European club football marketing through an ever-closer partnership between UEFA and the clubs.

“Building on the success of the new UEFA men’s club competitions format, we see a clear need to keep innovating and bringing fresh ideas to the market in order to unlock new value for the competitions, the clubs, our partners and our fans.”