Champions League could be 'played at the weekend'

Uefa said to be considering controversial move

(Getty)

European football governing body will consider moving the Champions League to the weekend, according to a report.

The story, from The Times, reveals that Europe's premier cup competition could have some matches during the day on a Saturday and Sunday to appeal to more fans in the Far East.

A change wouldn't come into place for at least five years but the move - which would be either group stage games or the semi-finals or quarter finals, but not both - would be highly controversial and cause major disruption to domestic leagues.

Any potential change in the calendar is already fiercely opposed by the Premier League.

"We are having a series of discussions with the clubs about ways to improve the competition and the possibility of playing Champions League matches at the weekend is among the ideas," says a source quoted by The Times.

However, the same person says that any changes would not be until at least 2021.

While the Premier League is not interested in the move, other European leagues are far more interested.

Champions League games are currently broadcast on midweek evenings, which are in the middle of the night in the Far East because of the difference in time zones, moving to the weekend would obviously see revenue increase as more fans would be willing to watch.

A Premier League spokesman told the paper: "It is unthinkable that Champions League matches would be played on weekends.

"Those dates are allocated to domestic competitions. We hope that the good sense of our own FA, Uefa and Fifa would prevail in preventing this."