UEFA does not allow Saudi clubs to participate in the Champions League
Two weeks ago, an Italian newspaper reported that the Saudi Arabian Football Federation proposed the idea of putting the Saudi Pro League champion team to have a "special" place in the Champions League from the 2024-2025 season.
From next season, the number of teams participating in the Champions League will increase to 36, instead of 32 as in the current format, competing according to the "Swiss model" like chess and some 36-team e-sports. Contestants will be seeded based on past performance.
Saudi Pro League CEO Carlo Nohra weighed heavily on the prospect of the country's clubs entering the Champions League by stating: "We are trying to be different. So any changes or improvements. Any progress that can be made into the tournament will be welcomed."
But speaking to French newspaper L'Équipe on August 31, Ceferin denied this possibility. "A media agency published this information without even asking our opinion," the UEFA president expressed. "Only European clubs can participate in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League."
After Cristiano Ronaldo landed at Al Nassr in early 2023, there was a wave of players from Europe moving to the Saudi Pro League. This number includes Neymar, Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Al Hilal), Sadio Mane, Marcelo Brozovic, Aymeric Laporte (Al Nassr), Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Romarinho, Jota (Al Ittihad) or Edouard Mendy, Roberto Firmino (Al Ahli).
Ceferin is not worried that the Saudi Pro League will compete with European tournaments, citing the evidence of Chinese football - with a professional tournament called the Chinese Super League (CSL) - which has caused a similar fever by bringing in many big names. with attractive salary. "Chinese football did not develop and did not participate in the World Cup after that," Ceferin said. "This is not the right way to do things. They should make efforts to develop players and coaches, but that is not my problem."
According to the head of UEFA, the Saudi Pro League only attracts players at the end of their careers or is not ambitious enough to go to the top tournaments, but is not an attractive destination for stars who are at a high level. Full of energy and in top form. "As far as I know, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are not thinking about going to Saudi Arabia," Ceferin expressed. "I don't think players at the peak of their careers will go to Saudi Arabia. When people tell me about players who have gone to Saudi, no one knows which club they are playing for."
The UEFA president took a similar stance when asked about the possibility of hosting the Champions League final in the US in the future. "Only European federations can host the Champions League final. We will have to change all the rules and do not want that to happen," Ceferin emphasized.
