League bars handy stadium swaps, big three visits stay put from 2026/27 | OneFootball

Starting from the 2026/27 season, Primeira Liga clubs will be required to host FC Porto, Benfica and Sporting at their regular home stadium. The decision was approved at the Liga Portugal General Assembly, following a proposal submitted by SC Braga.

With this regulatory change, it will no longer be permitted to move these matches to alternative venues solely for reasons of higher attendance, revenue or convenience. The only exception provided for concerns situations in which the stadium genuinely cannot be used, namely due to damage or other constraints affecting the pitch.

One recent case cited as an example of this scenario was União de Leiria’s stadium, which was heavily affected by Storm Kristin. In such contexts, a change of venue may still be authorised.

This decision represents an important change in the organisation of the championship, especially for clubs that, in previous seasons, chose to host the so-called big three at larger-capacity stadiums. The new rule seeks to standardise the competitive framework and ensure that these matches are, as a rule, played at the usual home ground of each host team.

The approval of this proposal was part of a broader set of changes to Liga Portugal’s regulations for 2026/27. Among the new measures approved is the requirement that only the matches of the final round be played on the same day and at the same time, as well as the increase to 12 substitutes per match.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.