KONTROVERSI FORMAT BARU UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PADA KONTEN YOUTUBE: ANALISIS RESEPSI AUDIENS PADA KELOMPOK “LA CARTE”

The format change of the 2024/2025 UEFA Champions League (UCL) from a group stage system to a Swiss system represents the competition's biggest transformation in over two decades, drawing diverse reactions from both global and domestic football fan communities. Studies on how young Indonesian audiences interpret international-scale sports policy changes through digital platforms remain highly limited. This research aims to analyze the reception positioning of the "La Carte" group toward the JMTV YouTube content titled "Champions League Format Baru, Ronaldo dan Buffon yang Jelaskan" (New Champions League Format, Explained by Ronaldo and Buffon). Using a descriptive qualitative approach within Stuart Hall’s reception analysis framework, data were collected through Focus Group Discussions (FGD) with 5 subjects selected via purposive sampling based on their active involvement in the European football ecosystem for at least the past three years. The data were then analyzed through stages of condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. The results of the study indicate that out of the 12 mapped topics, the dominant position prevailed on the issues of the fairness of the Swiss-system draw and the importance of squad depth, where all five subjects agreed on this change as a progressive step. Negotiated positions emerged across 3 topics, particularly regarding the loss of the traditional home-and-away system and the excitement of big games, both of which were viewed contextually. Oppositional positions were recorded in 2 topics, most notably the comparison between the UCL and the European Super League, as well as a preference for the comfort of the old format standard. Collectively, the "La Carte" group represents a highly literate, active audience capable of appreciating format innovation while maintaining a critical stance toward the implications of the competition's commercialization. This indicates that the effectiveness of UEFA's policy communication among young Indonesian fans is heavily influenced by the depth of their media literacy and viewing experience.