UEFA is thinking about removing extra time from Champions League knockout matches.

This is to help top teams play fewer minutes and reduce player fatigue.

According to The Guardian, games might go straight to penalty shootouts.

However, changing the rule before 2027 is unlikely since the current TV rights deal is still active.

Extra time has been debated for a long time, with many saying it affects player well-being.

This season, UEFA introduced a new group stage format, making teams play at least eight matches.

Later in the year, 12 European teams will also join the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in the U.S.

Last season, only three Champions League matches after the Round of 16 went into extra time. In the 2022-23 season, no matches required extra time.

In the Europa League, four games in 2023-24 needed extra time, which was fewer than the six from the previous season.