UEFA have confirmed the introduction of a third new European trophy by 2021/22 alongside the Champions League and Europa League.
Andrea Agnelli, the executive of UEFA competitions committee confirmed the news on Tuesday following long-term reports that such a tournament would introduced.
“Pending approval of the UEFA ExCo, the ‘green light’ has been given to introduce a third competition, bringing the overall number of clubs to 96, as of the 2021/22 season,” Agnelli told assembled members, as reported by The European Club Association.
“A detailed assessment of the existing International Match Calendar is required prior to presenting a new model post-2024. The current model needs modernising.”
In order to meet the 96 team limit that Agnelli mention, the Europa League’s group stage would be reduced from 48 teams to 32, with the new competition and the Champions League all having the same numbe
The tournament may be similar to the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, which ran from 1960 through to 1999 and is expected to be limited to teams from Europe’s weaker national leagues.
While this is undoubtedly attractive to the clubs, many of whom are among the ECA’s 232 members, it is likely to cause alarm at European Leagues, the organization that represents leagues in 25 countries, many of whom are already concerned about the effect UEFA prize money has on the competitive balance of their competitions.
