UEFA make decision on Champions League 'final four' mini-tournament

UEFA are reportedly exploring the possibility of beginning the season with a Champions League four-team mini-tournament after scrapping plans for a 'final four' competition.

A report from the Associated Press, based on information from an unnamed source who is involved in discussions and spoke on the condition of anonymity, claimed that UEFA are considering the idea of a mini-tournament that would kick off the new campaign in Europe’s top five leagues.

It is understood the plans would involve founding a pre-season competition that takes place outside of Europe, with four teams travelling to the United States to test out the mini-tournament. Given that several clubs, including Chelsea and Arsenal, are already committed to travelling there for pre-season, it may be viewed favourably if the financial benefit is lucrative enough. Fielding strong lineups, however, may be a difficult task before the season begins.

Under the plans, teams would potentially be selected from those that finish at the top of the 36-team standings when the new Champions League format comes into play in 2024. It is thought that by introducing this idea, teams will feel more compelled to continue battling for a top-four finish in the standings if they have already qualified for the last-16 knockout rounds.

The introduction of this tournament would likely bring an end to the participation of the winner of the Champions League in the UEFA Super Cup, which is currently held by Chelsea. Instead, the Europa League champions and Europa Conference League winners would meet instead.

It comes after European football’s governing body decided to scrap plans to alter the format of the Champions League semi-finals and final fixtures. The impact of the