Champions Cup revamp to cut English Premiership teams from eight to five

The number of English clubs in the Champions Cup could be reduced from eight to five next year as part of a radical overhaul to streamline the European tournament into a more elite competition.

Telegraph Sport understands that negotiations between key stakeholders are at an advanced stage to make the tournament more prestigious by reducing it from 24 to 18 clubs for the start of the 2024/25 season.

The move follows extensive consultations by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) - the governing body that organises the Champions Cup - with fans, players and broadcasters in a bid to restore the European competition to its former glory after losing its sheen in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

EPCR, which has announced a new title sponsorship deal with Investec, the South African bank, has already confirmed that this season’s tournament will return to the traditional pool stage format. That change came after widespread criticism from players, coaches and supporters that the format of two 12-team conferences had undermined the status and credibility of the competition.

However, talks have been ongoing for a further long-term revamp, and it is understood that all stakeholders have agreed to move to an 18-club model, with the only sticking points to be resolved the number of clubs each league will provide, and the start date of the new competition.

Premiership Rugby are thought to be keen for an equal split between the three leagues (Top 14 and URC) of six clubs, with the advantage of simplifying the narrative to supporters around qualification from the pool stages.

However, with the Premiership now reduced to a 10-team league following the financial collapse of Worcester, Wasps and London Irish last season, the URC, which is currently a 16-team competition including the South African clubs, believes that a more equitable split would be their league provide seven clubs, with the Top 14 given six places – leaving five for the English clubs.

A compromise solution being proposed by EPCR to ease concerns from all leagues is the introduction of a coefficient calculation that could see the number of representatives from each league adjusted every two years depending on the collective performances in the Champions Cup.

There is also concern within the Celtic unions that with the introduction of the Nations Cup tournament from 2026, its leading players are unlikely to be available for the opening rounds of the Champions Cup if it returns to its traditional October start.

There is confidence within EPCR, however, that these outstanding issues will be resolved, with a new, long-term deal expected to be confirmed by mid-September.

The new format will see 18 clubs split into three pools of six, with each club playing each once except for those clubs which are from the same domestic league.

The three pool winners and the best-placed runner-up will automatically qualify for the quarterfinals, with the next eight ranked clubs facing each other in a ‘barrage’ knock-out round to make the last eight.

The automatic qualifiers will have the advantage of earning a weekend off – EPRC will recompense the clubs for missing out on a home match during the barrage round – and will also have more time to sell tickets and market their home quarter-final.

Another perceived benefit of the concentration of the best clubs in a more streamlined competition is a boost to the status of the second-tier Challenge Cup.

Meanwhile, it is understood that EPCR is to host a two-day conference in Toulouse in November involving representatives from all seven participating unions, and the 42 clubs, in order to promote greater cooperation in a talking shop similar to football’s European Clubs Association.