Four extra matches would mean the Champions League finalists playing at least 17 games over the course of the competition

European football’s leaders are close to an agreement to expand the Champions League by four extra match dates each season in a move that would have big repercussions for domestic football.

The new format that will produce the extra matches has not been agreed — though it could involve restructuring the group stage, or even adding an additional round-robin phase. But the first issue is to find space in the calendar, which would have an impact on domestic football. In England, the greatest threat would be to the EFL Cup.

There is a growing consensus between the European Clubs’ Association (ECA) and senior figures at Uefa that an expansion on this scale — which would take the number of Champions League matches for the finalists