U n EFA changed a key rule to the Champions League and cancelled the lot before the elimination phase

Change will be implemented by this season in all U clubs' races EFA including the Champions League, the League of Europe, the League of Conference and the Women's Champions League.

Concretically, UEFA decided to cancel the lot specifying who would host the return matches in the preliminary phase. Instead, the country's advantage of origin in the returns matches will be given to the team that ranks highest in the race league phase.

NEW: UEFA are the ones to confirm a long-lasted change to the Champions League.https://t.co/oQoGxCDK36 Pic.twitter. com/ HVkkkUpI

(@MirtorFotball) Julie 8, 2025

In other words, the team that ranks best on the board after the group stage will have the advantage of playing the second game at home, follows the telegraph.

This rule has another interesting feature: The privilege could be “inherited”. If the lower-ranking team eliminates first place, it takes its position for the next stage of the race, including the right to host the second match.

For example, last season Real Madrid played the second quarterfinal match against Arsenal in Santiago Bernabeu, despite “Toopchijt” that ended significantly better in the league stage (third place) than the Royal Club (11th). Under the new rules, the return match would have been played in London. A similar situation was recorded in the match between Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund.

With this decision, UEFA wants to further stress the importance of the race league phase. Playing a decisive match in front of local fans brings a considerable advantage, either to maintain supremacy or to try to overturn it. /Periscope/