The 2027-28 Champions League will begin with a marquee fixture featuring the reigning champion in a home game, marking the first time the competition opens with a standalone match, UEFA said on Monday.
Currently, the tournament’s league phase begins with matchday one fixtures spread evenly over three days, but the change means just one game will take place on the first Tuesday, giving the title-holder maximum coverage.
The remainder of the matches will then take place on Wednesday and Thursday.
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The move is similar to how the NFL season works in the United States, where, since 2004, the defending champion typically begins the following campaign with a home game, usually on the Thursday night of the opening weekend.
UEFA also launched the media rights tender process for its club competitions, beginning from the 2027-28 season, with a simultaneous tender across Europe’s top five media markets – France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Britain.
Published on Oct 14, 2025
