GENEVA AP UEFA and several of Europe's top clubs on Tuesday agreed to a new format for the UEFA Cup which will give unsuccessful Champions League competitors a second chance. The revamped competition would merge the existing UEFA Cup and Cup Winners Cup and start with 96 teams the combined total of the current competitons UEFA's European Football 2000 Task Force decided. If UEFA's Executive Committee approves the proposal the eight teams that finish third in their European Champions League groups will join the new UEFA Cup in its third round. Under the new Champions League format the first- and second-placed teams from all eight groups would advance to a two-leg single-elimination second round before the quarterfinal stage. ``It means we have more quality'' UEFA General Secretary Gerhard Aigner told reporters. The cup will have one qualifying round. An alternative proposal with a smaller starting lineup would have required three summer qualifying rounds. Under the proposal countries whose teams reach the UEFA Cup quarterfinals will receive an extra berth in the following season's competition. The group also discussed the financial structure of the revamped Champions League. In October representatives of AC Milan Real Madrid and 10 other major teams agreed not to join a breakaway Super League after UEFA promised to extend next season's European Champions' League from 24 teams to 32 playing in eight groups of four in the first stage. Clubs agreed Tuesday that 5 percent of the money they receive from the new competition should go to the leagues of participating teams Aigner said. The money would be distributed to clubs which don't qualify for European competitions and ``must be used for education of young players'' he added. UEFA expects the new-look Champions League to generate about 800 million francs dlrs 570 million. Approximately 75 percent would be distributed to clubs under both the current system of match and performance fees and the clubs' market value. UEFA's Executive Committee is expected to give final approval to the revamped competitions and decide on a starting date for them when it meets next week in Lausanne Switzerland. ``We have set the sails for a start next season'' Aigner said. APW19981201.0338.txt.body.html APW19981201.1195.txt.body.html