The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League marks a major shift—from the traditional group stage to a dynamic league-phase format featuring 36 teams in a single table. This “Swiss-system” style ensures heightened competitive fairness and variety. Each club will face eight different opponents: two from each seeding pot, with one match at home and one away. This revamped structure ensures no team meets another from the same association more than twice.
The draw procedure enforces fairness by dividing clubs into four pots (based on UEFA coefficients) and setting strict country-based constraints: teams from the same association cannot be drawn more than twice against each other.
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The Big Day: Draw Ceremony Highlights
The draw took place on 28 August 2025, hosted at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, and kicked off at 18:00 CEST. A hybrid draw process combined manual ball selection with automated digital assignment to determine opponents and designate home or away venues.
The ceremony featured appearances from legendary footballers Zlatan Ibrahimović and Kaká, adding a dramatic flair to an already high-stakes event.
| Club | Home Opponents | Away Opponents |
|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid | Manchester City, Juventus, Marseille, Monaco | Liverpool, Benfica, Olympiacos, Kairat Almaty |
| Manchester City | Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli, Galatasaray | Real Madrid, Villarreal, Bodø/Glimt, Monaco |
| Bayern Munich | Chelsea, Club Brugge, Sporting CP, Union SG | PSG, Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven, Pafos |
| Liverpool | Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, PSV Eindhoven, Qarabağ | Inter Milan, Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille, Galatasaray |
| Paris Saint-Germain | Bayern Munich, Atalanta, Tottenham, Newcastle United | Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Sporting CP, Athletic Club |
| Inter Milan | Liverpool, Arsenal, Slavia Prague, Kairat Almaty | Borussia Dortmund, Atlético Madrid, Ajax, Union SG |
| Chelsea | Barcelona, Benfica, Ajax, Pafos | Bayern Munich, Atalanta, Napoli, Qarabağ |
| Borussia Dortmund | Inter Milan, Villarreal, Bodø/Glimt, Athletic Club | Manchester City, Juventus, Tottenham, Copenhagen |
| Barcelona | PSG, Eintracht Frankfurt, Olympiacos, Copenhagen | Chelsea, Club Brugge, Slavia Prague, Newcastle |
| Arsenal | Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid, Olympiacos, Kairat Almaty | Inter Milan, Club Brugge, Slavia Prague, Athletic Club |
| Bayer Leverkusen | PSG, Villarreal, PSV, Newcastle United | Manchester City, Benfica, Olympiacos, Copenhagen |
| Atlético Madrid | Inter Milan, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bodø/Glimt, Union SG | Liverpool, Arsenal, PSV, Galatasaray |
| Benfica | Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli, Qarabağ | Chelsea, Juventus, Ajax, Newcastle United |
| Atalanta | Chelsea, Club Brugge, Slavia Prague, Athletic Club | PSG, Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille, Union SG |
| Villarreal | Manchester City, Juventus, Ajax, Copenhagen | Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham, Pafos |
| Juventus | Borussia Dortmund, Benfica, Sporting CP, Pafos | Real Madrid, Villarreal, Bodø/Glimt, Monaco |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | Liverpool, Atalanta, Tottenham, Galatasaray | Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Napoli, Qarabağ |
| Club Brugge | Barcelona, Arsenal, Marseille, Monaco | Bayern Munich, Atalanta, Sporting CP, Kairat Almaty |
| Tottenham Hotspur | Borussia Dortmund, Villarreal, Slavia Prague, Copenhagen | PSG, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bodø/Glimt, Monaco |
| PSV Eindhoven | Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid, Napoli, Union SG | Liverpool, Bayer Leverkusen, Olympiacos, Newcastle United |
| Ajax | Inter Milan, Benfica, Olympiacos, Galatasaray | Chelsea, Villarreal, Marseille, Qarabağ |
| Napoli | Chelsea, Eintracht Frankfurt, Sporting CP, Qarabağ | Manchester City, Benfica, PSV, Copenhagen |
| Sporting CP | PSG, Club Brugge, Marseille, Kairat Almaty | Bayern Munich, Juventus, Napoli, Athletic Club |
| Olympiacos | Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, PSV, Pafos | Barcelona, Arsenal, Ajax, Kairat Almaty |
| Slavia Prague | Barcelona, Arsenal, Bodø/Glimt, Athletic Club | Inter Milan, Atalanta, Tottenham, Pafos |
| Bodø/Glimt | Manchester City, Juventus, Tottenham, Monaco | Borussia Dortmund, Atlético Madrid, Slavia Prague, Galatasaray |
| Marseille | Liverpool, Atalanta, Ajax, Newcastle United | Real Madrid, Club Brugge, Sporting CP, Union SG |
| Copenhagen | Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli, Kairat Almaty | Barcelona, Villarreal, Tottenham, Qarabağ |
| Monaco | Manchester City, Juventus, Tottenham, Galatasaray | Real Madrid, Club Brugge, Bodø/Glimt, Pafos |
| Galatasaray | Liverpool, Atlético Madrid, Bodø/Glimt, Union SG | Manchester City, Eintracht Frankfurt, Ajax, Monaco |
| Union Saint-Gilloise | Inter Milan, Atalanta, Marseille, Newcastle United | Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid, PSV, Galatasaray |
| Qarabağ | Chelsea, Eintracht Frankfurt, Ajax, Copenhagen | Liverpool, Benfica, Napoli, Athletic Club |
| Athletic Club | PSG, Arsenal, Sporting CP, Qarabağ | Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, Slavia Prague, Newcastle United |
| Newcastle United | Barcelona, Benfica, PSV, Athletic Club | PSG, Bayer Leverkusen, Marseille, Union SG |
| Pafos | Bayern Munich, Villarreal, Slavia Prague, Monaco | Chelsea, Juventus, Olympiacos, Kairat Almaty |
| Kairat Almaty | Real Madrid, Club Brugge, Olympiacos, Pafos | Inter Milan, Arsenal, Sporting CP, Copenhagen |
Key Matchups Revealed in the Draw
The draw delivered some marquee showdowns and daunting paths:
- Liverpool drew Real Madrid, Inter, Atlético Madrid, plus Frankfurt, PSV, Marseille, Qarabağ, and Galatasaray.
- Arsenal will face Bayern Munich, Inter, Atlético Madrid, along with Club Brugge, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Kairat, and Athletic Bilbao.
- Chelsea landed a heavyweight group: Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Napoli, among others including Benfica, Atalanta, Ajax, Pafos, and Qarabağ.
- Manchester City faces tough ties with Real Madrid, Napoli, Dortmund, Leverkusen, Villarreal, Bodo/Glimt, Galatasaray, and Monaco.
- Tottenham Hotspur meet defending champions Paris Saint-Germain, Dortmund, Villarreal, Frankfurt, Slavia Prague, Bodo/Glimt, Copenhagen, and Monaco.
- Newcastle United perhaps drew the most formidable pool: Barcelona, PSG, Benfica, Leverkusen, PSV, Marseille, Athletic Bilbao, and Union Saint-Gilloise.
These high-profile fixtures set the stage for intense competition right from the opening matchdays.
Format Edge: How the New System Shapes Competition
- Each club plays eight matches against eight different opponents, splitting four at home and four away.
- The top eight teams in the league table after the phase go directly to the Round of 16. Teams ranked 9–24 enter a knockout play-off to vie for the remaining spots.
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Matchday & Tournament Timeline
The league phase unfolds across eight matchdays:
- Matchday 1: 16–18 September 2025
- Matchday 2: 30 September–1 October
- Matchday 3: 21–22 October
- Matchday 4: 4–5 November
- Matchday 5: 25–26 November
- Matchday 6: 9–10 December
- Matchday 7: 20–21 January 2026
- Matchday 8: 28 January 2026
Following the league phase:
- Knockout play-offs: 17–25 February 2026
- Round of 16: 10–18 March
- Quarter-finals: 7–15 April
- Semi-finals: 28 April–6 May
- Final: 30 May 2026 at Puskás Aréna in Budapest.
The Road to Budapest: Final Venue and Stakes
The final is scheduled for 30 May 2026 at Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary. The winners will earn prestige, a UEFA Super Cup berth, a place in the future FIFA Club World Cup, and automatic qualification for the 2026–27 Champions League, subject to access list adjustments.
FAQs
- What’s new in the Champions League format?
The 2025/26 edition features a 36-team single-league format, replacing the classic group stage. Each team plays eight matches against varied opponents in a more dynamic league table setup. - When was the draw held and how was it conducted?
The draw took place on 28 August 2025, at 18:00 CEST in Monaco, combining manual and digital processes involving legendary footballers. - Which teams face the toughest challenges?
Newcastle United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Tottenham all have heavyweight matchups, battling clubs like Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern, Barcelona, and Inter. - When do fixtures begin, and what’s the schedule?
The league phase kicks off mid-September 2025 and wraps by late January 2026, followed by knockout stages leading to the final in May. - What access does the winner earn?
The champion qualifies for the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, and has assured league-phase access in the next season’s Champions League. - How are teams drawn from each pot?
Teams are divided into four seeding pots. Each club draws one opponent from each pot for both home and away matches, respecting national association rules.
The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League promises an action-packed, unpredictable season under its new format. With heavyweight clashes and high-stakes matchups from the onset, fans should expect intense drama, strategic brilliance, and riveting performances. The journey to the grand finale in Budapest begins in September—stay tuned as European football’s elite embark on another unforgettable campaign.
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