The format of the UEFA Champions League could be changed significantly in the coming years according to a report in today’s print edition of Italian daily newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.

For the next three editions of the UEFA Champions League the current format will remain but from 2024 things could look drastically different.

Between now and then the prize money will rise to around €3.5 billion, which is €0.5 billion less than what UEFA hoped to have the prize money total at.

From 2024 onward, the format could seriously change. Citing a report from Mundo Deportivo, Gazzetta dello Sport go on to explain that rather than have eight groups of four, the group stage could be made up of six groups of six teams. The first and second placed teams would all progress as would the four best third placed sides.

Gazzetta dello Sport have also cited British media reports which have suggested the group stage could consist of 32 or 36 teams and participating teams could play 10 ‘random’ games and the top 16 would head to the next round.

As things currently stand, clubs can play a maximum of 13 games in the competition but it appears certain that teams who make the final will have to play at least 17 games.