UEFA: "Women's club football deserves a competition that enhances progress" (Nadine Kessler, UEFA)

"I'm thrilled that we are taking this significant and critical step for the development of women's football. Women's club football has seen impressive growth in recent years. It deserves a competition that not only better reflects the progress but enhances it," said Nadine Kessler (GER) head of women's football at UEFA, on the European confederation's website on 05/12/2019, regarding the new format of the Women's Champions League, which will be adopted from the 2021-22 season.

Two access routes to the Women's Champions League will be created, one for the winning clubs of their national leagues (Champions Path, seven qualified teams), the other a non-champions path (League Path, five qualified teams). This will make it possible for a group stage with 16 clubs (including four directly qualified clubs) divided into four groups of four, announced UEFA on 04/12/2019.

Nadine Kessler explained why the introduction of the group stage in 2021-22 is, in her opinion, beneficial for everyone - clubs, players and supporters - in an interview published by UEFA that News Tank Football has…