Arsenal supporters may be shocked to see their team playing a Champions League match on a Thursday, which is usually reserved for Europa League and Conference League games. This unusual scheduling has piqued the interest of supporters. So, why is Arsenal’s Champions League opener against Atalanta scheduled for Thursday?
The main reason for this change lies in UEFA’s revamped scheduling strategy for the 2024/25 season. UEFA has introduced a new format where each of its three major European competitions—the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League—will have exclusive matchweeks. This means that during these designated weeks, only one of the competitions will have fixtures, ensuring that they do not overlap.
For the Champions League, this exclusive matchweek falls on Matchday One, spreading the fixtures across three days from September 17 to 19. This approach aims to draw more attention to each competition individually, allowing fans to focus on the matches without the distraction of concurrent games from other tournaments.
Another factor contributing to this scheduling change is the expanded format of the Champions League. The competition has grown from 32 to 36 teams, resulting in an increased number of matches. To accommodate this larger pool of fixtures, UEFA has had to be more flexible with its scheduling.
Arsenal’s Thursday game comes at a particularly busy time. Following their north London derby win against Tottenham, Arsenal faces Atalanta away on Thursday, a trip to title rivals Manchester City on Sunday, and the start of their Carabao Cup campaign against Bolton the following Wednesday.
While it may seem unusual, Arsenal playing in the Champions League on a Thursday is part of UEFA’s overall plan to enhance the visibility and focus on each of its European competitions. This change, coupled with the expanded format of the Champions League, has led to a unique scheduling scenario for the Gunners.