Beth Mead Criticises New Women’s Champions League Format As Arsenal Aim To Defend European Title

Arsenal and England star Beth Mead has voiced her displeasure over the new Women’s Champions League format, admitting she’s “not the biggest fan” of the changes as the Gunners begin their title defence under the revamped system.

The 2025–26 Women’s Champions League has replaced its traditional group stage with a league-style format — mirroring the new system introduced in the men’s competition. Under the new model, all 18 teams are placed in a single league table, with each side playing six matches (three home, three away).

The top four teams advance automatically to the quarter-finals, while those ranked fifth to twelfth battle through a play-off round. Teams finishing 13th or lower are eliminated.

While UEFA touts the changes as a way to increase competition and exposure, Mead isn’t entirely convinced.

“I’m not the biggest fan. I like group football and knockout football. I think that’s the beauty of football,” Mead told Disney+ after Arsenal’s 2–0 win over Benfica. “But ultimately this is the way it is now, and we’ve got to play what’s in front of us.”

The Lionesses hero opened the scoring in Lisbon before Alessia Russo sealed the victory in the 89th minute. Reflecting on the game, Mead said it was a tough test against a determined Benfica side:

“It was tough, we knew Benfica are a physical team that like to get under your skin. We just focused on our football and got the three points — that’s what matters.”

Arsenal’s return to Lisbon was symbolic, as it was the same city where they famously defeated Barcelona in the 2024–25 Champions League final. Now, as reigning champions, Mead admits the pressure has only intensified.

“Once you win it, everyone wants to beat you. We’ve got to step up again and be even better than we were last year,” she added.

Meanwhile, Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers is using the upcoming international break to reflect and reset after an inconsistent start to the season.

“It’s always a big reflection moment for us as a staff,” Slegers told Arsenal.com. “We’ll review pre-season, the first block of games, and plan ahead for the next phase. There’s plenty of learning to take into block two.”

As the Gunners chase back-to-back European glory, all eyes will be on how they adapt to the new format — and whether Mead’s concerns prove prophetic in the months ahead.

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