EFL criticises UEFA over fixture clashes
The English Football League (EFL) has launched a blistering attack on UEFA after Europe’s governing body refused to budge on the scheduling of Liverpool’s Champions League fixture against Atletico Madrid on 9 September, triggering a domino effect that has forced three separate matches to be rearranged, reports BritPanorama.
In a strongly worded statement issued today, the EFL condemned what it described as UEFA’s “unwillingness to co-operate” following a fruitless meeting between the two organisations on Monday morning.
The fallout has disrupted plans for supporters of five different clubs, with Carabao Cup and Championship fixtures all reshuffled to accommodate a Champions League calendar that was only finalised on Saturday—just three days after the EFL had publicly confirmed its own third-round dates and kick-off times.
The root of the dispute lies in a direct clash on Merseyside. Everton had announced at half past five on Friday evening that their Carabao Cup third-round encounter with Wolverhampton Wanderers would take place at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Wednesday 9 September, with a 7:45pm kick-off.
Barely 24 hours later, UEFA published its Champions League league-phase schedule, placing Liverpool’s home match against Atletico Madrid at Anfield on the same evening—kicking off just fifteen minutes after the Everton fixture was due to begin.
It is well established that the two Merseyside clubs cannot host matches simultaneously, owing to policing constraints. Everton were also unable to shift their tie to Tuesday, as they are scheduled to play Manchester United at home the preceding Sunday.
The resulting reshuffle has seen Everton’s cup tie against Wolves pushed back seven days to Wednesday 16 September, with the match now set for broadcast on Sky Sports Plus. Liverpool’s Carabao Cup meeting with Tottenham Hotspur, originally pencilled in for that same evening, has consequently been brought forward by a day to Tuesday 15 September.
Wolves, meanwhile, bear the heaviest burden. Their Championship fixture at home to Portsmouth, initially set for 16 September, has been delayed by more than a month to Tuesday 20 October.
The EFL stated: “This makes UEFA’s unwillingness to co-operate all the more frustrating, not least for the supporters of the five impacted clubs, and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.”
UEFA has been contacted for a response. The EFL made clear that it has already made significant concessions in recent years to accommodate the expansion of European club competitions.
These adjustments have included splitting Carabao Cup third-round ties across a fortnight and introducing draw conditions that prevent clubs involved in the Champions League or Europa League from facing one another. The governing body pointedly noted that UEFA’s enlarged tournament format was introduced “without adequate consultation with domestic leagues,” making the European body’s intransigence all the more galling.
During Monday’s discussions, UEFA officials reportedly justified their refusal to shift the Liverpool v Atletico Madrid fixture by citing the disruption it would cause to supporters travelling from abroad. The EFL’s draw had already been specifically structured to avoid precisely this kind of conflict, rendering the entire episode particularly exasperating for the domestic competition’s organisers.
This ongoing clash between domestic and international football obligations leaves clubs grappling with solutions, and fans caught in the crossfire—an all-too-familiar reminder of the balancing act required to keep the beautiful game flowing amid competing schedules.
