Paris Saint-Germain’s newly acquired star, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, will have to wait longer than expected to make his debut in the Champions League, as UEFA’s registration rules prevent him from featuring in the upcoming crucial clash against Manchester City.
The 23-year-old Georgian winger, who joined PSG from Napoli last week in a €70 million transfer deal, has become the club’s first-ever Georgian player but will not be eligible to play in Europe’s premier competition until later in the season.
PSG are set to face Premier League giants Manchester City in a pivotal match on Wednesday night in the UEFA Champions League, but despite the anticipation surrounding Kvaratskhelia’s arrival, he will not be part of the squad.
According to UEFA regulations, players who transfer to a club after the deadline for squad registration—September 3—cannot participate in the group stages of the competition, even if they have not played in the tournament previously with their former club.
Kvaratskhelia, who has not yet appeared in the Champions League this season with Napoli, joined PSG on January 17, 2025, which falls after the deadline for squad submission.
As a result, he is ineligible for inclusion in PSG’s Champions League squad until after the group stage concludes.
The French side’s final group-stage match against Stuttgart on January 29, 2025, marks the end of the league phase, after which PSG can submit up to three new players for the knockout stage.
This means that despite the excitement surrounding his signing, PSG fans will have to wait until the knockout rounds or, if PSG fails to qualify, the next Champions League season before seeing Kvaratskhelia grace the European stage.
With the team currently sitting 25th in the group standings, just one point outside the playoff positions, PSG faces an uphill battle to progress to the knockout rounds, as they have just seven points from six group-stage matches.
They are trailing behind teams like Lille, who occupy the final automatic qualification spot, by seven points. Though PSG’s Champions League aspirations hang in the balance, Kvaratskhelia’s immediate future in the team is not entirely bleak.
He will be eligible to make his debut for PSG in domestic competitions, including Ligue 1, as soon as Saturday, when the club hosts Reims.
His arrival in the French top flight brings with it high expectations, given his impressive performances for Napoli, where he was a key figure in their Serie A title-winning campaign last season.
PSG’s manager and supporters alike are keen to integrate Kvaratskhelia into the squad as soon as possible, with hopes that his dynamic attacking play will help bolster the team’s offensive strength in the domestic league.
While his Champions League debut will be delayed, the winger will be hoping to make an impact in Ligue 1, where PSG will be looking to retain their top spot in the league table.