UEFA is set to amend the Champions League regulations from next season to ensure that teams with the best performances in the League Phase enjoy home advantage in the latter stages — a change prompted in part by the recent semi-final exits of Arsenal and Barcelona.

From the 2024–25 season — the first to feature the new 36-team format — clubs finishing in the top eight of the League Phase were already guaranteed to host the second leg of their round-of-16 ties. However, for the quarter-finals and semi-finals, an open draw was used to determine the order of the ties, effectively diminishing the benefit of a higher finish.

This season’s semi-finals highlighted the flaw, with Paris Saint-Germain (15th) and Inter Milan (4th) both drawn to play their return legs at home, despite finishing below their respective opponents — Arsenal (3rd) and Barcelona (2nd). Both PSG and Inter progressed to the final, with the French champions producing a dominant 5–0 victory in the second leg at the Allianz Arena.

Under the revised system, the team that finishes higher in the League Phase will now automatically play the second leg at home in the quarter-finals and semi-finals as well.

Although the quarter-final stage did not present as stark an imbalance, with PSG the only lower-ranked team to advance — beating eighth-placed Aston Villa despite playing the decisive leg away — the inconsistency still drew criticism.

The change was approved by UEFA’s Club Competitions Committee during a meeting ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final. While the official regulations for the 2025–26 campaign have already been released, the amendment can still be introduced if ratified by UEFA’s Executive Committee. As the committee is not scheduled to reconvene until September, a virtual meeting will be held — no later than the League Phase draw on 28 August — to confirm approval.

This adjustment will reinforce the value of finishing as high as possible in the League Phase, beyond merely securing a top-eight place. Top-eight teams already benefit from skipping the knockout playoff round in February — which features clubs ranked ninth to 24th — and are guaranteed to host the second leg of their round-of-16 tie.

Had the new rule been in effect this season, first-placed Liverpool and second-placed Barcelona would have secured home advantage throughout all knockout rounds.

There was some consideration given to allowing higher-ranked teams the option of choosing whether to play the second leg at home or away, but UEFA opted instead for a standardised automatic assignment.

The same rule change is expected to be implemented across the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Conference League.

No other modifications were agreed, including previously speculated proposals such as eliminating extra time before penalty shootouts or preventing clubs from the same country meeting in the knockout playoff round.