The removal of away goals in European competition qualifying and its effects
Before the 2021–22 season, UEFA moved to end the away goals double value in two-legged qualifying ties. For the first time since 1965, outcomes in Champions League and Europa League qualifiers would not hinge on away goals as a tiebreaker. If the two matches produced a tied aggregate, the winner would be decided through extra time or penalties if the tie remained level after extra time.
Discussions about the Europa League round of 16 draw for the 2022–23 season are common among fans and pundits as the competition advances under a new format that does not rely on away goals to decide ties.
Why the away goals rule was eliminated from the 2022–23 Europa League
UEFA announced the change at the start of the 2021–22 season. On June 24, 2021, the governing body released an official statement confirming the abolition of the away goals criterion in all club competitions during the qualifying phase of the 2021–22 season and beyond. [Source: UEFA]
UEFA’s official rationale for scrapping away goals
The decision followed recommendations from the UEFA Club Competitions Committee and the UEFA Women’s Football Committee. The executive body approved the proposal to end the away goals criterion across men’s, women’s, and youth competitions in the qualifying rounds. [Source: UEFA]
Under the former system, a tie was decided by the team that scored more goals away from home if the total goals were equal after both legs. If normal time did not yield a winner in the second leg, extra time followed, and penalties were used if needed. [Source: UEFA]
With the rule removed, two teams with the same total across the two matches would contest extra time rather than relying on away goals. If goals were still tied after two 15-minute periods of extra time, the outcome would be settled by a penalty shootout. [Source: UEFA]
As away goals no longer weighed into the outcome, they were also removed as a criterion for group stage ties. The group stage standings would rely on the primary match results first, with away goals no longer acting as a tiebreaker across ties in the pool. The competition retains other methods to determine overall rankings within the group but does not elevate away goals as a decisive factor. [Source: UEFA]
Statistical observations from the mid-1970s onward show a long trend toward tighter balance between home and away performances. The share of wins at home versus away has narrowed, and average goals per game in both men’s and women’s UEFA competitions have evolved accordingly. Several factors contribute to this shift, including higher field quality, standardized pitch dimensions, improved stadium safety, the use of GLT and VAR, broader television coverage, more travel and scheduling adjustments, and evolving league formats that blur the home advantage effect. [Source: UEFA]
These changes reflect how modern football demands different approaches to match strategy, preparation, and competition formats across Europe. [Source: UEFA]