UEFA confirm major Champions League rule change to squad registration | OneFootball

A new rule has come into effect days before the competition begins

Champions: PSG

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UEFA have announced the major change to squad rules for European competitions less than a week before the Champions League begins, which could hand a lifeline to Premier League teams.

Europe's club competition begins next week as, for the first time, six Premier League teams enter the fray. Tottenham and Arsenal are in action on Tuesday, with Chelsea and Liverpool on Wednesday, followed by Manchester City and Newcastle on Thursday.

The Europa League begins the following week, and the Conference League gets underway in early October.

Clubs had to confirm 25-man squads following the closure of the summer transfer window, which saw a few tough choices made and big names left out.

One of the highest-profile names left out by a Premier League club was Spurs' £30million summer signing Mathys Tel, while Liverpool will leave Federicio Chiesa back at home on European nights and Chelsea's new boy Facundo Buononotte was also omitted.

But, in a rule confirmed on Thursday, all clubs will this season be able to make a change to their submitted squads during the group phase.

UEFA said in a statement: "The Executive Committee approved an amendment to the 2025/26 UEFA men’s club competitions’ regulations to admit the temporary replacement of a maximum of one outfield player with long-term injury or illness during the league phase until matchday 6 included.

"The reasoning for the adaptation is to ensure that squad lists are not unfairly reduced and players are safeguarded from additional workload pressure."

Matchday six will be the final round of group stage action played across all three tiers of European competition in 2025. While the Conference League concludes in December, the Champions League and Europa League continue for two further rounds of games in January 2026.

It remains to be clarified exactly what a "long-term injury or illness" constitutes, but it could open the door for Chelsea to replace the injured Liam Delap, who is set to be sidelined until November.

Should Spurs pick up an injury in attack, Tel could be drafted in, while Arsenal may be tempted to add Gabriel Jesus to their squad in the event of an injury, should he prove his fitness.

Europe's governing body also confirmed that Atletico Madrid's Metropolitano stadium will host the 2027 Champions League final, with the Women's Champions League final going to the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland.