Europe’s soccer leagues escalated the dispute with UEFA over recent Champions League changes yesterday when they said they would end the agreement which ensures that European and domestic fixtures do not clash.

Lars-Christer Olsson, chairman of the leagues’ umbrella organisation (EPFL), said they had been left with “no option but to end the memorandum of understanding” after European soccer’s governing body announced changes to the Champions League, its elite club competition, in August.

At present, domestic leagues avoid organising matches on days which UEFA has allocated to European competition. The EPFL said this will now end in March 2017.

UEFA reorganised the lucrative Champions League group stage to guarantee the top four European leagues – Spain, Germany, England and Italy – four places each.

Guaranteed places for the winners of the 11th and 12th ranked leagues – Switzerland and the Czech Republic –were cut and the number of places reserved for teams from the remaining leagues, who play their way through a qualifying competition, was reduced to four.

UEFA also announced changes in the distribution of revenue with more emphasis placed on clubs’ historic sporting results and less on the value of their television market.

The changes will take effect from the 2018-19 season with critics saying UEFA had moved a step closer to creating a closed Super League for the biggest clubs.

The EPFL said they were not consulted about the changes and want a renegotiation.

“We have to be able to involve our leagues in such a decision because it is so important,” Olsson said. “We should be prepared to discuss it again.”