UEFA has announced two rule changes ahead of the 2026-27 Champions League season. The updates, confirmed on Tuesday, will affect all nine English clubs competing in European competitions this year.
Yellow Card Threshold Raised
The first change increases the yellow card threshold for a one-match ban from three to four. Players will now need to accumulate four yellow cards before facing a suspension, a move aimed at reducing the number of bans for minor offenses.
Stadium Clocks Allowed to Pass 90 Minutes
The second change removes UEFA's long-standing regulation that prevented stadium clocks from moving beyond 45 and 90 minutes. This alteration, already adopted in the Premier League for the past two seasons, will now be permitted in UEFA competitions.
Qualifying for the Champions League has already begun, with the league phase draw scheduled for late August. Celtic are the only British club in the play-off round, facing Austria's LASK for a spot in the group stage.
English Clubs in European Competitions
Five English teams will compete in the Champions League: Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Liverpool. In the Europa League, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and Sunderland will participate. Brighton are the Premier League's sole representatives in the Conference League, which Palace won last season.
These changes come amid UEFA's ongoing dispute with FIFA over the latter's plans to sell off competitions to private investors. UEFA's 55 member nations unanimously voted to withdraw from FIFA competitions during an emergency virtual meeting on Friday, a decision that has sparked widespread reaction across the football world.
