The changes are designed to reduce repetitive fixtures and boost competition by exposing teams to a wider variety of opponents, mirroring the updated Champions League format.

A transitional period leading up to 2028-29 will see UEFA finalize scheduling and broadcast packages in the coming months as associations prepare for the changes.

In the transition, calendar details and TV packages are expected to be finalized soon, with stakeholders preparing for potential impacts on domestic and international football dynamics.

National associations must gear up during the transition, with UEFA expected to finalize calendar details and broadcast packages ahead of the 2028-29 season.

The UEFA president says the reforms aim to modernize European football without adding new international windows, with formal approval anticipated at the September executive committee meeting.

A radical reform revamps World Cup and European qualifiers into a two-tier divisional structure: a top league with 36 nations split into three groups of 12, each playing six matches against opponents from different seeding pots, and a second tier for the remaining nations.

Safe standing facilities will be extended: associations in the UEFA Standing Facilities Observer Programme can use standing facilities in all UEFA competitions from 2026/27, with other eligible associations able to apply to use standing facilities from September 1, 2026.

UEFA is overhauling the Nations League with a Champions League‑style format across three groups of 18 teams, set to begin in the 2028-29 season.

The reform’s format is designed to fit FIFA-mandated schedules from September to November without increasing player workloads.

Italy and Türkiye have been named co-hosts for EURO 2032.

UEFA has not yet specified how many automatic World Cup slots will accompany Portugal and Spain; the figure is expected after a September ruling following further process refinement.

The next meeting is scheduled for mid-September 2026 in Thessaloniki, Greece.