UEFA is set to make a major change to how teams in the Champions League are seeded for the group stage.

The general secretary Gianni Infantino said in London on Thursday that the holders, alongside the league champions from UEFA’s seven top-ranked nations, will be placed in pot one for the 2014-15 competition.

Teams are currently seeded based on their UEFA coefficient, which depends on performances in the Champions League and Europa League rather than domestic competitions.

On that basis, Spain had three pot one teams for the group stage draw this season, in holders Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, while England had two with Chelsea and Arsenal, as did Portugal with Benfica and Porto, while the German giants Bayern Munich made up the eight.

The change of policy has been agreed on the basis on “sporting merit”, according to Infantino.