LOI matters re access

losthorizon

For Europe.

UEFA are reorganizing the draws between 2015 -18. Its effictively making it harder for smaller nations to get into the Group stage of the Europa League and the associations ranked 7-9 will lose a team (Russia, Ukraine and Holland at the moment. Its effectively handing over the Europa League to the bigger associations.

http://cdn1.sefutbol.com/sites/default/files/pdf/circulares/circular_21_temporada_2014_2015.pdf

dan1895

If they could they'd just have German, English and Spanish in it and f*ck the rest.

dreamers75

The smaller teams get near double the particpation money tho.

Paz-CCFC

When the format changed in 2009 and the new Europa League replaced the UEFA Cup, it was hailed as brilliant for the smaller leagues. The CL guaranteed a few spots for lower ranked nations, the EL had the early rounds for smaller teams to get to grips with the tournament. When it started, no teams went straight into the group stages, so there were plenty of places to fight for. The League of Ireland and smaller nations originally got a good deal out of it, with one team guaranteed to be in the second round and we actually had one team in the 3rd round (Sligo) in 2011 or 12.

Since they put 5 extra teams into the group stages, it meant 10 places were closed off from the 4th round, which had the effect of pushing teams back and you had tougher opponents starting earlier. Eg, Rosenborg were in the first round this year, where usually you wouldn't face a team like that until the 2nd or 3rd. Now with an extra ten teams going straight into the group stages, it means that a further twenty places will be closed off from the 4th round and teams will be pushed back even further. The opening round will now see two Danish sides, two Croatians, two Polish, three Norwegians, three Serbians etc. The smaller teams are getting an absolute raw deal out of this, so they can continue to give the English, Spanish and Germans as much a leg up as possible. They'll now have 5 out of seven entrants going straight into the group stages.

dan1895

The alternative Champions league that was been talked about by the Danes a couple of months ago seems like a good way to keep the interest of smaller nations in European competition.

losthorizon

Actually heres an interesting document on money distributed by UEFA. It goes to show you that by being just put into a group you earn a heck of a lot of money.

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/OfficialDocument/uefaorg/Finance/02/11/95/44/2119544_DOWNLOAD.pdf