Secret meetings held between UEFA, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Super League over new format proposal | OneFootball

Amid reports of Barcelona’s possible withdrawal, the Super League has presented UEFA with a final proposal for a revamped Champions League following several rounds of negotiations with European football’s governing body, claims Mundo Deportivo.

This new competition, referred to as a “Super Champions League”, would still be called the Champions League and is scheduled to come into effect in 2027, if given the green light.

Negotiations in secrecy

UEFA, A22 (the company representing the Super League), and representatives of clubs such as FC Barcelona and Real Madrid have held confidential talks over the past eight months in search of a compromise to avoid a breakaway project.

Following that, a final peace proposal has been delivered to UEFA, focusing on two key aspects: a free global broadcasting platform and a competition format designed to make the tournament more spectacular while remaining close to the current system.

The talks follow the submission of a proposal by A22 in December 2024, after a favourable ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding the recognition of an alternative competition.

Since then, the clubs and UEFA have met on seven occasions, some at UEFA’s headquarters, to try to settle the dispute that began in 2021.

As Barcelona president Joan Laporta stated in an interview in July, the negotiations have been structured around three key areas: governance, broadcasting, and competition format.

A more attractive format

The proposed format introduces one significant adjustment. The 36 teams currently in the Champions League would be divided into two groups before reuniting in the knockout rounds.

Qualification would continue through domestic leagues, but once selected, the 36 clubs would be distributed based on UEFA ranking.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are the only two teams left in the Super League project. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)

The top 18 teams would play their eight group-phase matches exclusively against one another, while the teams ranked 19 to 36 would also play eight matches, determined by draw.

The aim is to ensure more balanced games among the lower-ranked teams while significantly raising the level of matches in the top tier.

At the end of the league phase, the top eight clubs from the first group would advance directly to the round of 16. Sixteen additional teams from both groups would contest a play-off round, with the 9th-placed club in Group 1 facing the lowest-ranked qualifier from Group 2.

The overall structure would remain similar to the current format, but with a higher level of competition from the outset.

A free broadcasting platform

The competition would retain the name “Champions League” but be broadcast on UNIFY, the Super League’s proposed platform. The service would feature two options: a free version with geolocated advertising and a premium paid version without adverts.

The initiative has been positively received as a modern solution aimed at improving fan access and generating higher revenues than the current model.

Relations between UEFA and the Super League have improved significantly compared with the hostility of previous years. The multiple meetings held are evidence of a shift in approach.

While no agreement has yet been finalised, the Super League’s proposal represents an important step. The decision now lies with UEFA headquarters in Nyon.

If given the green light, the new format would be introduced in 2027, coinciding with the next commercial cycle of Champions League broadcasting rights.