How Arsenal Benefits From UEFA Rule Change in Champions League

• Arsenal will head into the Champions League knockout rounds with a notable advantage after finishing top of the league phase
• The Gunners sealed that spot with a 3-2 win over Kairat Almaty on Wednesday, becoming the first team to win all their league-phase matches
• A UEFA rule adjustment, introduced after complaints from Arsenal last season, will now hand the North London side and other sides an edge when the knockout stage begins

North London club Arsenal have secured more than victories in this season’s Champions League campaign.

A UEFA rule change now gives the North London side a valuable boost in the knockout rounds, addressing a situation that previously worked against them.

The development follows a flawless league phase run, capped by a win over Kairat Almaty on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, which made it eight triumphs from eight outings.

That dominant streak ensured early qualification, yet the real significance lies in what comes next.

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After concerns raised by the club following last season’s experience, European football’s governing body introduced a change that reshapes home advantage in the latter stages.

UEFA rule change gives Arsenal advantage

During the previous campaign, Arsenal finished third in the league standings behind Liverpool and Barcelona, earning direct passage to the knockouts.

Still, circumstances turned awkward. The Gunners played the return fixtures of both their quarter-final and semi-final ties away from home.

That scheduling quirk proved costly, as they exited the competition against eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG, despite needing the play-offs to reach that stage, hosted the decisive semi-final leg on their own turf.

Arsenal felt the structure lacked balance and made their feelings known afterwards.

UEFA has now responded with a clearer system. Placement in the league phase carries greater weight when determining venues for later rounds.

Clubs ranked first through fourth will host the second leg in the quarter-finals.

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Those finishing first or second gain the same benefit in the semi-finals. The round of 16 format remains unchanged, with the top eight sides still playing the return match at home.

The regulation is spelt out in UEFA’s official wording.

"Seeded teams, i.e. teams ranked 1 to 4 after the league phase, play the return leg at home in the quarter-finals, and teams ranked 1 and 2 also play the return leg of the semi-finals at home.

"If a seeded team is beaten in any round, the team that eliminates them takes over their seeding position in the bracket path (i.e. the higher ranking for seeding purposes is not recalculated after each round),".

Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Tottenham also stand to gain from their high finishes, according to Sky Sports.

For Mikel Arteta’s squad, though, the tweak feels particularly meaningful. After learning a tough lesson last term, they now enter the business end with a structural edge that could make all the difference under the bright lights of Europe.

Why Rice missed Arsenal's UCL game

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YEN.com.gh previously explained that Declan Rice missed Arsenal’s 3-1 Champions League win over Kairat Almaty.

The midfielder was unavailable because he served a one-match suspension after accumulating yellow cards.

Source: YEN.com.gh