The Champions League was formally increased yesterday to 32 teams at a meeting of UEFA, European football's governing body. It was also confirmed that the UEFA Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup will be merged into one tournament from next season.

Both switches had been expected as UEFA revamped its plans following threats by leading clubs to break away and form a rebel competition if changes were not made.

UEFA confirmed the Champions League will now be contested by 32 teams instead of 24 and that matches will be played on Wednesday and Thursday nights.

The defending European champions and the champions and runners-up in Europe's top leagues - Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Netherlands and England - will all be assured of places in the new Champions League, along with the champions of Portugal, Greece and the Czech Republic.

The third and fourth-placed teams in the Italian, German and Spanish leagues and the third-placed teams in the French, Dutch and English championships will all enter the new tournament at the third qualifying round, along with the runners-up in the Portuguese, Greek and Czech leagues and the champions of Norway, Austria, Russia, Croatia, Turkey and Denmark. Champions of other European countries, along with certain runners-up, will contest the first two qualifying rounds.

The new-look UEFA Cup will be contested on Tuesday nights.