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New rules, more VAR interventions and debut patches: What to look out for in 2026/27 UEFA Champions League React to this story Excitement is reaching fever pitch as the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League prepares to kick off, live across TNT Sports on HBO Max, with the league phase set to begin on September 8. This season arrives with new rule changes and innovations, so what should you be looking out for? This year's men's Champions League got underway with Aston Villa opening their campaign against Club Brugge with a 3-2 win. Manchester City overcame Porto thanks to an Erling Haaland double, while Real Madrid got the better of Inter. On Wednesday, Arsenal travel to Napoli and Liverpool welcome Atletico Madrid to Anfield, before Manchester United mark their return to the competition with a home game against Sabah on September 10. These fixtures arrive alongside a series of adjustments designed with the intention of speeding up games, reducing time-wasting and making refereeing decisions more consistent. New laws for time-wasting and substitutions Like we have already seen across English football so far this campaign, referees in Europe's top tier competition will enforce a 10-second time limit for players to leave the field when they are substituted. If a player takes longer than 10 seconds, their replacement cannot enter the field until the first stoppage after one minute of play has passed. When a match is stopped for a player to receive treatment, that player must leave the pitch for one minute once the ball is back in play. There are several exceptions. Goalkeepers are exempt, as are situations where a goalkeeper and an outfield player collide and both need attention. Players can also stay on if they were fouled and the opponent is booked, if two team‑mates are injured in a collision, or if a penalty is awarded and the injured player is the taker. Referees can also now give a five-second countdown for throw‑ins and goal kicks. If the team delays too long, the opposition gets the ball - and in the case of a goal kick, it could become a corner. - Explained: Why Ethan Nwaneri is eligible to play against parent club Arsenal for Borussia Dortmund in UEFA Champions League - Why are Manchester United playing on a Thursday? The key UEFA Champions League fixtures analysed More responsibility for VAR UEFA - Europe's governing body for football - have stressed the importance of minimal interference for maximum benefit, and say they are committed to delivering greater consistency in how the video assistant referee (VAR) is applied across the competition. That being said, VAR has been handed a greater responsibility this season. VAR can now step in when a referee books or sends off the wrong player, allowing cases of mistaken identity to be corrected on the spot. They can also review clearly incorrect second yellow cards, giving the referee the option to cancel the caution and keep the player on the pitch. Another change allows VAR to intervene if an attacking player commits an offence before a free-kick or corner is taken and that incident directly leads to a goal, penalty or other major decision. In those situations, the outcome will be overturned and the set piece retaken. Players covering their mouth will not be sent off During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, players were shown red cards for speaking to an opponent during heated confrontations. Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron was the first player sent off for this offence against Turkey. Ecuador's Piero Hincapie also saw red against Mexico. However, that will not be the case in the 2026/27 Champions League. Covering the mouth or speaking during a flashpoint will not automatically lead to a dismissal, although referees can still issue a yellow card if they believe the behaviour is unsporting. The issue of players covering their mouths came into focus last season when Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni lifted his shirt while speaking to Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior during a Champions League match. The Argentina international was accused of racist abuse and initially given a provisional one‑match ban. After a UEFA investigation, Prestianni was found guilty of homophobic conduct and handed a six‑match suspension, with three of those games suspended. Are there hydration breaks? Three-minute hydration breaks became a major talking point when they were implemented in every match at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, regardless of conditions. The interruptions drew criticism from many, with USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino among those speaking out. "I don't like it. I only like it when the conditions are extreme. But when the conditions are good, it is unnecessary," he said. However, mandatory hydration breaks will not be implemented in the 2026/27 Champions League. A huge final day A highlight of the new‑look Champions League format, introduced in 2024/25, is the mammoth final day when 18 live games are played simultaneously to determine the league‑phase standings. This season, that epic showdown takes place on January 27, 2027. All games kick off at 20:00 BST, with Arsenal playing Sabah, Liverpool and Manchester City hosting Lens and Sporting CP respectively, while Aston Villa travel to Slavia Prague and Manchester United are away to Villarreal. What else should I look out for? 'Debut' patches on player’s shirts are being introduced, as part of an agreement between UEFA and Fanatics, the licenced sports merchandise, trading cards and collectables company. It will see players who are making their first appearance in the men's Champions League wear a patch on their sleeve that has the word 'Debut' on it and incorporated into the iconic 'starball' logo. What football is on TNT Sports and HBO Max? HBO Max includes the full range of TNT Sports content and live coverage. In 2026, subscribers can stream exclusive matches from the Premier League, Emirates FA Cup and Adobe Women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League, In addition, across other sports this year, fans can enjoy every Gallagher PREM Rugby match, Premiership Women’s Rugby, live Grand Tour cycling broadcasts including every stage of the Tour de France, every match from the Australian Open and Roland-Garros, every MotoGP, World Superbikes and British Superbikes race, plus the World Snooker Tour, the winter sports season, Speedway GP, Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 and much more. 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