Starting next season, UEFA will introduce a new Champions League format featuring a ‘hybrid’ draw system that incorporates computer technology.
This revamped format will expand the league to 36 teams and introduce a unified group stage, marking the most significant alteration to the tournament since its 1992 transformation from the European Cup.
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A notable change in the competition is the increase of group stage matches from six to eight per team.
With the traditional group stages eliminated, the draw process will adapt, with each team’s eight opponents being selected in a new manner.
According to Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol, the draw will commence with a manual selection of clubs, followed by a computerized process to determine the eight matchups.
This hybrid approach is expected to streamline the draw, maintaining a 35-minute duration similar to the current system, despite the addition of four teams.
An English IT firm is developing the software for the draw, with contingency plans in place for any technical difficulties.
UEFA’s decision for this shift stems from simulations that projected a fully manual draw could take an extraordinary three to four hours and require the use of 900 balls.
At present, there are no plans to modify the knockout stage draw, which will proceed as usual alongside the new group stage format in the upcoming season.
