An official announcement on planned radical changes to the format of the UEFA Champions League from 2024 onwards is set to be made on April 19, European football's governing body said on Tuesday.

Last week European Leagues, a body representing the interests of clubs and leagues in 30 countries across the continent, said UEFA would make a decision on the expected changes at a meeting this Wednesday.

UEFA confirmed it will discuss plans at this week's meeting of its executive committee but will wait for the next one before finalising the changes.

"The future of club competitions post-2024 will be one of the topics discussed," UEFA said in a statement.

"However, any official decision in this respect will only be made at the next UEFA executive committee meeting on April 19, in order to finalise ongoing discussions."

The April 19 meeting is also set to see UEFA confirm how it will organise the delayed Euro 2020, which is due to go ahead in 12 cities spread across the continent but could be modified depending on what venues allow spectators to attend games during the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the Champions League changes -- which are expected to be radical -- will dominate discussions.

The changes are expected to increase the number of clubs involved in the group stage from the current 32 to 36.

The existing group-stage format, consisting of eight groups of four teams, will be completely shaken up.

In its place, UEFA is expected to introduce a single pool and a format known as the 'Swiss system', which will see teams playing 10 games instead of the current six.

No team will face anyone else more than once in a system more commonly used in chess.

The teams finishing in the top eight positions of the single pool will advance to the last 16, with the bottom 12 eliminated.

Meanwhile, the sides finishing between ninth and 24th place will go on to play two-legged play-off ties to decide the final eight slots in the knockout phase.

The knock-out stages will then proceed in the same manner as now, but the changes will mean a large increase in the number of matches played, with a team reaching the final playing a minimum of 17 matches compared to 13 in the present format.

The consequences are a huge increase in the overall number of games played, from 125 to 225, with the total number of group-stage matches jumping from 96 to 180.

An official announcement on planned radical changes to the format of the UEFA Champions League from 2024 onwards is set to be made on April 19, European football's governing body said on Tuesday.

An official announcement on planned radical changes to the format of the UEFA Champions League from 2024 onwards is set to be made on April 19, European football's governing body said on Tuesday. Last week European Leagues, a body representing the interests of clubs and leagues in 30 countries across the continent, said UEFA would make a decision on the expected changes at a meeting this Wednesday. UEFA confirmed it will discuss plans at this week's meeting of its executive committee but will wait for the next one before finalising the changes. "The future of club competitions post-2024 will be one of the topics discussed," UEFA said in a statement. "However, any official decision in this respect will only be made at the next UEFA executive committee meeting on April 19, in order to finalise ongoing discussions." The April 19 meeting is also set to see UEFA confirm how it will organise the delayed Euro 2020, which is due to go ahead in 12 cities spread across the continent but could be modified depending on what venues allow spectators to attend games during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the Champions League changes -- which are expected to be radical -- will dominate discussions. The changes are expected to increase the number of clubs involved in the group stage from the current 32 to 36. The existing group-stage format, consisting of eight groups of four teams, will be completely shaken up. In its place, UEFA is expected to introduce a single pool and a format known as the 'Swiss system', which will see teams playing 10 games instead of the current six. No team will face anyone else more than once in a system more commonly used in chess. The teams finishing in the top eight positions of the single pool will advance to the last 16, with the bottom 12 eliminated. Meanwhile, the sides finishing between ninth and 24th place will go on to play two-legged play-off ties to decide the final eight slots in the knockout phase. The knock-out stages will then proceed in the same manner as now, but the changes will mean a large increase in the number of matches played, with a team reaching the final playing a minimum of 17 matches compared to 13 in the present format. The consequences are a huge increase in the overall number of games played, from 125 to 225, with the total number of group-stage matches jumping from 96 to 180.

UEFA set to approve new Champions League format at April meeting

As football around Europe returns after a long suspension, UEFA is set to announce the format for the latter stages of the Champions League at a key meeting on Wednesday which will also raise the thorny issue of the postponed, pan-continental Euro 2020.

The Champions League was frozen in mid-March before the last-16 stage had been completed, as the sport ground to a halt when the coronavirus pandemic began to take hold.

Initially, European football's governing body had hoped to finish its flagship competition -- along with the Europa League and women's Champions League -- by the end of June.

It soon became clear that such an outcome was overly optimistic, and during the peak of the pandemic in Europe any prospect of finishing the season at all looked slim.

Nevertheless, UEFA has for some time been working on a way of completing its season in August, which looks feasible as leagues restart and the European death toll from Covid-19 slows.

With that in mind, the Executive Committee meeting, to be held by videoconference, is set to approve the idea of a "Final Eight" in Lisbon, as widely reported by media across Europe in recent days.

That would mean finding a way to play out the four remaining last 16, second legs before bringing together all the &nbsp;quarter-finalists in Portugal's capital for a series of one-off games to crown the European champions. According to reports, the final would be on August 23.

In the current context, grouping all teams together in one place and reducing travel is the wisest solution, although it remains to be seen how many fans, if any, could attend.

Football in most countries is being played behind closed doors, yet UEFA's meeting comes in the same week many EU member states -- Portugal among them -- opened up once again to foreign visitors.

The final was scheduled to be played in Istanbul on May 30 and only last week Turkey's Sports Minister, Mehmet Kasapoglu, expressed confidence that the city would not lose out.

"I have no doubt it will take place in the best way in Turkey. We're confident that we will receive good news on June 17," he said.

However, last month the New York Times reported that Istanbul could instead be awarded a future final, when it is safe for fans to travel in large numbers.

<h2>- Fewer hosts for Euro 2020? -</h2>

Gdansk in Poland was slated to host the Europa League final but that competition also looks set to finish in a watered down "Final Eight" format.

German newspaper Bild reported last week that the closing stages would be switched to the region around the western city of Cologne.

A similar format could be brought in for the women's Champions League, the final of which was due to be played in Vienna.

UEFA's announcements will have a knock-on effect on when next season can start around Europe. Everything could be derailed by a second wave of coronavirus infections.

Euro 2020 was meant to be in full swing by now, but postponing the tournament by 12 months was one of the first big decisions taken as the crisis intensified.

Staging the European Championship in 12 different countries, from as far apart as Baku and Saint Petersburg to Dublin and Bilbao, already looked questionable before the virus struck.

Now UEFA must potentially make some big decisions about its format, and president Aleksander Ceferin recently hinted that the number of host cities could be reduced.

In an interview with beIN Sports, he admitted to having "some issues" with three unnamed cities. "In principle, we will do it in 12 cities. But if not, we are ready to do it in 10, nine or eight," he said.

That could leave some hosts -- just like Istanbul -- less than happy, making this week's meeting a potentially delicate diplomatic operation for UEFA to go along with all the logistical challenges.

As football around Europe returns after a long suspension, UEFA is set to announce the format for the latter stages of the Champions League at a key meeting on Wednesday which will also raise the thorny issue of the postponed, pan-continental Euro 2020.

As football around Europe returns after a long suspension, UEFA is set to announce the format for the latter stages of the Champions League at a key meeting on Wednesday which will also raise the thorny issue of the postponed, pan-continental Euro 2020. The Champions League was frozen in mid-March before the last-16 stage had been completed, as the sport ground to a halt when the coronavirus pandemic began to take hold. Initially, European football's governing body had hoped to finish its flagship competition -- along with the Europa League and women's Champions League -- by the end of June. It soon became clear that such an outcome was overly optimistic, and during the peak of the pandemic in Europe any prospect of finishing the season at all looked slim. Nevertheless, UEFA has for some time been working on a way of completing its season in August, which looks feasible as leagues restart and the European death toll from Covid-19 slows. With that in mind, the Executive Committee meeting, to be held by videoconference, is set to approve the idea of a "Final Eight" in Lisbon, as widely reported by media across Europe in recent days. That would mean finding a way to play out the four remaining last 16, second legs before bringing together all the quarter-finalists in Portugal's capital for a series of one-off games to crown the European champions. According to reports, the final would be on August 23. In the current context, grouping all teams together in one place and reducing travel is the wisest solution, although it remains to be seen how many fans, if any, could attend. Football in most countries is being played behind closed doors, yet UEFA's meeting comes in the same week many EU member states -- Portugal among them -- opened up once again to foreign visitors. The final was scheduled to be played in Istanbul on May 30 and only last week Turkey's Sports Minister, Mehmet Kasapoglu, expressed confidence that the city would not lose out. "I have no doubt it will take place in the best way in Turkey. We're confident that we will receive good news on June 17," he said. However, last month the New York Times reported that Istanbul could instead be awarded a future final, when it is safe for fans to travel in large numbers. - Fewer hosts for Euro 2020? - Gdansk in Poland was slated to host the Europa League final but that competition also looks set to finish in a watered down "Final Eight" format. German newspaper Bild reported last week that the closing stages would be switched to the region around the western city of Cologne. A similar format could be brought in for the women's Champions League, the final of which was due to be played in Vienna. UEFA's announcements will have a knock-on effect on when next season can start around Europe. Everything could be derailed by a second wave of coronavirus infections. Euro 2020 was meant to be in full swing by now, but postponing the tournament by 12 months was one of the first big decisions taken as the crisis intensified. Staging the European Championship in 12 different countries, from as far apart as Baku and Saint Petersburg to Dublin and Bilbao, already looked questionable before the virus struck. Now UEFA must potentially make some big decisions about its format, and president Aleksander Ceferin recently hinted that the number of host cities could be reduced. In an interview with beIN Sports, he admitted to having "some issues" with three unnamed cities. "In principle, we will do it in 12 cities. But if not, we are ready to do it in 10, nine or eight," he said. That could leave some hosts -- just like Istanbul -- less than happy, making this week's meeting a potentially delicate diplomatic operation for UEFA to go along with all the logistical challenges.

Key UEFA meeting to decide on way forward for suspended Champions League

UEFA is optimistic about completing the domestic leagues by the end of August as it gears up for a meeting with all 55 associates on Tuesday. All of Europe’s top football officials will discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with some of the clubs resuming training under strict restrictions.

There are further plans to present a recommendation on the fixture calendar by mid-May with a working group accessing all possible scenarios. A meeting by UEFA’s executive committee is also scheduled to be held on Thursday as the top officials are likely to discuss the leagues which want to end their respective season early.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/la-liga-spanish-fa-agree-training-restart-protocol-293753" hreflang="en">La Liga, Spanish FA agree training restart protocol</a>

Furthermore, cancellation of leagues with UEFA’s approval could see clubs losing out on qualification for the Champions League and Europa League, as the final standings are determined by the league table.

Earlier in April, European leagues were told not to ‘abandon’ their leagues as officials revealed that they were working on plans to resume the season from July.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/serie-a-commits-to-finishing-season-after-virus-lockdown-293752" hreflang="en">Serie A commits to finishing season after virus lockdown</a>

UEFA, the European Club Association (ECA) and European Leagues (EL) urged everyone to ‘walk united’ as they continue to tackle the rapidly increasing global spread of COVID-19.

There a proposal which would see UEFA Champions League final being pushed back by three months from its original scheduled period at the end of August. The UCL final was originally scheduled to be hosted by Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on May 30. 
The Champions League final was due to take place at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on May 30. 
&nbsp;

UEFA is optimistic about completing the domestic leagues by the end of August as it gears up for a meeting with all 55 associates on Tuesday. All of Europe’s top football officials will discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with some of the clubs resuming training under strict restrictions.

UEFA is optimistic about completing the domestic leagues by the end of August as it gears up for a meeting with all 55 associates on Tuesday. All of Europe’s top football officials will discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with some of the clubs resuming training under strict restrictions. There are further plans to present a recommendation on the fixture calendar by mid-May with a working group accessing all possible scenarios. A meeting by UEFA’s executive committee is also scheduled to be held on Thursday as the top officials are likely to discuss the leagues which want to end their respective season early. ALSO READ: La Liga, Spanish FA agree training restart protocol Furthermore, cancellation of leagues with UEFA’s approval could see clubs losing out on qualification for the Champions League and Europa League, as the final standings are determined by the league table. Earlier in April, European leagues were told not to ‘abandon’ their leagues as officials revealed that they were working on plans to resume the season from July. ALSO READ: Serie A commits to finishing season after virus lockdown UEFA, the European Club Association (ECA) and European Leagues (EL) urged everyone to ‘walk united’ as they continue to tackle the rapidly increasing global spread of COVID-19. There a proposal which would see UEFA Champions League final being pushed back by three months from its original scheduled period at the end of August. The UCL final was originally scheduled to be hosted by Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on May 30. The Champions League final was due to take place at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on May 30.

August deadline on agenda as UEFA gears up for meeting with 55 associations

With the novel coronavirus taking the entire world under its dreaded wings, the sporting calendar for the year 2020 has been shredded into pieces. While many leagues, tournaments and sporting events have been either postponed or cancelled, there were question marks whether the postponed football leagues would get completed in time.&nbsp;

Every top European leagues have been grounded to a halt due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which put major question marks on whether it would be completed or not. UEFA on Tuesday held a crisis meeting in which it was decided that the Euro&nbsp;2020 will be postponed until 2021 and take place from June 11 to July 11, 2021.

The Norwegian FA broke the ranks on Tuesday as they announced that the showpiece tournament will be held in 2021. The latest development gives time for top European leagues including the UEFA Champions League and Europa League to get completed.

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UEFA har bestemt at EM utsettes til 2021. Det skal spilles fra 11. juni til 11. juli neste år. Mer informasjon kommer.
— NorgesFotballforbund (@nff_info) <a href="https://twitter.com/nff_info/status/1239888676517273601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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At least, the Premier League can extend their season into the month of June or even the first couple of weeks of July while still allowing players time off before a fresh campaign begins in August.&nbsp;

The Euro&nbsp;was due to take place across Europe in Juny and July 2020 but will now be held on June 11 to July 11, 2021.

With the novel coronavirus taking the entire world under its dreaded wings, the sporting calendar for the year 2020 has been shredded into pieces. While many leagues, tournaments and sporting events have been either postponed or cancelled, there were question marks whether the postponed football leagues would get completed in time.

With the novel coronavirus taking the entire world under its dreaded wings, the sporting calendar for the year 2020 has been shredded into pieces. While many leagues, tournaments and sporting events have been either postponed or cancelled, there were question marks whether the postponed football leagues would get completed in time. Every top European leagues have been grounded to a halt due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which put major question marks on whether it would be completed or not. UEFA on Tuesday held a crisis meeting in which it was decided that the Euro 2020 will be postponed until 2021 and take place from June 11 to July 11, 2021. The Norwegian FA broke the ranks on Tuesday as they announced that the showpiece tournament will be held in 2021. The latest development gives time for top European leagues including the UEFA Champions League and Europa League to get completed. UEFA har bestemt at EM utsettes til 2021. Det skal spilles fra 11. juni til 11. juli neste år. Mer informasjon kommer. — NorgesFotballforbund (@nff_info) March 17, 2020 × At least, the Premier League can extend their season into the month of June or even the first couple of weeks of July while still allowing players time off before a fresh campaign begins in August. The Euro was due to take place across Europe in Juny and July 2020 but will now be held on June 11 to July 11, 2021.

COVID-19 hits football: Euro 2020 postponed until 2021 amid coronavirus pandemic

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UEFA set to approve new Champions League format at April meeting

Key UEFA meeting to decide on way forward for suspended Champions League

August deadline on agenda as UEFA gears up for meeting with 55 associations

COVID-19 hits football: Euro 2020 postponed until 2021 amid coronavirus pandemic