The Champions League will no longer use the away goals rule to decide matches tied on aggregate after the second leg. UEFA eliminated this tiebreaker in 2021, marking a significant change since the rule had been in place since 1965. Without the away goals criterion, teams level on total goals after both legs will proceed to other methods to determine the winner.
This adjustment affects the knockout rounds, where previously away goals could decide which team advanced. Now, if teams are tied on aggregate, matches may go into extra time or a penalty shootout to produce a winner. The change aims to simplify the rules and potentially encourage more attacking play in both home and away fixtures. This update reflects UEFA’s ongoing efforts to modernize the competition format.