/world sport
LUCERNE, Switzerland -- UEFA have decided the Champions League final will be staged on a Saturday from the 2009-10 season.
Michel Platini has been successful in getting the Champions League final switched to a Saturday.
The change follows pressure from UEFA president Michel Platini who believed staging the final on a Wednesday night prevented it being an occasion for families.
The first Champions League final to be played on a Saturday will be in Rome's Stadio Olimpico the season after this. Wembley is on the shortlist to stage the final in 2010 or 2011.
UEFA have also confirmed changes to the format of the competition that will allow three English Premier League teams to qualify automatically for the group stage.
The fourth-placed side, however, will face a stiffer test in their qualifying round as they are more likely to play against stronger opponents than under the current format.
Platini's determination to see more champions in the competition, and more from lower leagues, sees 22 clubs qualifying automatically, including the Scottish champions.
Five more places will go to the 15 leading countries in Europe, decided through qualifying rounds, and the remaining five reserved for the champions of the lowest 40 clubs.
Platini also confirmed proposals to allow domestic cup winners to qualify for the Champions League have been shelved, but not scrapped altogether. E-mail to a friend 
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