Women’s Champions League could expand to include group stage and more English clubs The current competition is a knock-out, like the old men’s European Cup

Uefa are in talks with the European Clubs Association to expand the Women’s Champions League. This is likely to result in a group stage and more places for English clubs.

The current competition is a knock-out, like the old men’s European Cup. While the possibility of a big club going out provides added drama in the early rounds those big clubs – such as Juventus and Manchester City the last two seasons – are unhappy when they are the victims. Adding a group stage would allow clubs to build squads in the certainty they would have at least six matches, not two, and enhance the value of television rights.

There is also a maximum of two clubs per country. Chelsea, last season’s semi-finalists, are out of Europe this season having come third in the WSL.

Joe Montemurro, whose Arsenal team are in the quarter-finals, but missed out on Europe in recent years, said: “We want to the top three in England, the top three in France, in the Champions League. They have to got to work out a way where the top teams are there for longer and playing each other more regularly. That will showcase the level of the game and show how fantastic the top teams are.”