UEFA To Begin Trial Of New Champions League Kickoff Times

The Champions League "will have a new feel to it this season," with the traditional 7:45pm kickoff time "a thing of the past," according to Joe Ridge of the London DAILY MAIL. Instead, UEFA will this week begin a three-season trial of having two separate kick off times for each matchday, as in the Europa League. Two games will kick off at the new, earlier time of 5:55pm, while the other six matches will kickoff at the "slightly later time" of 8pm. The reason given for the change in kickoff times is to allow fans to "watch more games than ever before," though this "of course will increase revenue streams." The early kickoff time "also makes it easier" for fans in Asia and Australia to watch the Champions League, with staying up until 3am "slightly more appealing" than 5am. On the final matchdays on Dec. 11 and 12, matches in the same group will kick off simultaneously, with Group D and Group G assigned the 5:55pm slots. The games in the knockout stages will all kick off at 8pm (DAILY MAIL, 9/17).