UEFA Considers Revolutionary Changes to International Breaks and Champions League Qualifiers.

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PHOTO: JANG RACHEL, Unsplash

UEFA has established a working group to explore potential changes to the format of international football, including the frequency of breaks and the implementation of the Swiss model for qualifications. The current qualification format for the World Cup and European Championship is considered unattractive to fans and broadcasters. At a meeting in Spain with general secretaries from 55 European federations, it was announced that UEFA's National Teams Competitions Committee would evaluate various options. Led by French Football Federation President Philippe Diallo, the committee includes 28 members, such as the CEOs of the English and Scottish Football Associations.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin stated that while the European Championship itself will remain unchanged, the qualification format might be revised to make it more engaging without increasing the number of matches. Discussions include reducing international breaks and combining the September and October breaks into a single three-week period, allowing national teams to play four matches instead of two.

Another option under consideration is the Swiss model, already used in the Champions League and Europa League, which offers more unpredictability and excitement by having teams play against different opponents in a single league table, replacing the traditional group format.

These discussions are driven by the predictability and monotony of qualifications for established national teams, such as England, which rarely lose qualifying matches and consistently reach major tournaments. This predictability diminishes fan interest, necessitating change.

In conclusion, changes in international football are inevitable, and UEFA is initiating discussions to bring fresh ideas that will reinvigorate qualification matches and attract more fan interest.

SOURCE: Sky Sports