UEFA plans a groundbreaking change for the Euro qualifiers

UEFA is exploring an ambitious strategy to revitalize the Euro qualifiers, as many supporters have shown a lack of enthusiasm for the existing system.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin stated he has no intention to alter the format of the Euro final tournament but acknowledged that the qualifying rounds need to be refreshed to become more exciting and competitive.

Ceferin commented at the 2025 Portugal Football Summit: “Perhaps the qualifiers should be somewhat different. There won’t be more matches, but the format could be made more engaging. We are currently reviewing this.”

According to the Daily Mail, UEFA is conducting an internal review to find ways to make the qualifying campaigns more appealing to fans, as they have been considered “dull” for many years.

One idea proposed is to adopt models from other UEFA competitions, such as the Nations League or Champions League. Specifically, the Nations League uses a promotion and relegation system that creates clear competition between groups. Meanwhile, the new Champions League format is being shaped to feature only 6 group stage matches instead of the traditional home-and-away fixtures.

UEFA believes that changing the competition structure could make the qualifiers more thrilling and meaningful, rather than just mismatched contests between strong and weak teams.

Additionally, fan frustration with national team breaks is another issue raised. Many feel the international breaks are too frequent — three times within the first three months of the season — causing continuous interruptions to club schedules.

Under the new plan, the current two-week international break in October will be removed starting in 2026. Instead, FIFA will merge the September and October windows into a single three-week period, during which teams will play four matches instead of two. This aims to reduce disruptions to domestic leagues and provide fans with a more seamless experience.

Although UEFA has not revealed full details of the reform, this move shows that Europe’s football governing body is seriously listening to fan feedback, who desire more dynamic, competitive, and watchable Euro qualifying matches in the future.

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