Whale.io 🐳 | ⚽ English Premier League Season: 2026/2027

[tokeweed]

Yeah but in the old format, the smaller clubs have a chance to be drawn in a soft group giving them a decent chance to progress in the KO stages.  This new format is just like a regular domestic league which makes the UCL kinda boring imho.

Wasn't the old format formed this way?; two top teams from Pot 1&2 and 2 weaker teams from Pot 3&4 ?

Wdym?  The old format with the groups from Group A to Group H?  Yeah 8 top clubs drew pot 1 and pots 2,3 and 4 were for the rest of the clubs that qualified...  At least that's what I remember.

But still.  The old format was fun.  I think the changes were brought because of viewership rankings on TV?  Those groups that got not so good clubs prolly got less international audiences watching.  But on the other hand, the group of death got all the attention.  Dunno tho...

[igebotz]

But still.  The old format was fun.  I think the changes were brought because of viewership rankings on TV?  Those groups that got not so good clubs prolly got less international audiences watching.  But on the other hand, the group of death got all the attention.  Dunno tho...

Maybe UEFA used the Super league format to end the " Super league" agitation and every drama related to it? It look exactly what the Super league clubs were proposing - more games, more money. I couldn't think of anything else. Lol

[slaman29]

But still.  The old format was fun.  I think the changes were brought because of viewership rankings on TV?  Those groups that got not so good clubs prolly got less international audiences watching.  But on the other hand, the group of death got all the attention.  Dunno tho...

Maybe UEFA used the Super league format to end the " Super league" agitation and every drama related to it? It look exactly what the Super league clubs were proposing - more games, more money. I couldn't think of anything else. Lol

This was the compromise yes, Group Phase does 2 things of Super League. More games for the big teams and increases the chances of big teams progressing.

More games is more money. The bullshit about smaller teams getting a chance is not the real picture

[tokeweed]

But still.  The old format was fun.  I think the changes were brought because of viewership rankings on TV?  Those groups that got not so good clubs prolly got less international audiences watching.  But on the other hand, the group of death got all the attention.  Dunno tho...

Maybe UEFA used the Super league format to end the " Super league" agitation and every drama related to it? It look exactly what the Super league clubs were proposing - more games, more money. I couldn't think of anything else. Lol

Yeah it could be that too.  What happened here is like what they do on sporting events in the States like the NBA or NFL.  Regular season with teams all playing each other and trying to get the best record.  Followed by a 'play off' tourney format after that.

It's a pretty good format but after a lot of years of watching with the old format, it's just a tad too hard to be entertained with the new one.  In time maybe...

[igebotz]

The champions league doesn't excite me like it used to anymore and Chelsea not always qualifying made it easy for me to skip a lot of CL games - the only part I like about the new format is ending Real Madrid dominates; they've been useless in the last 5 seasons or so.
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Real football is back today no more boring weekends - I missed going to the pub with the boys and getting drunk after games..