Champions League draw 2025/26 summary: league phase teams, games, pots, format...

Who are Arsenal playing in the 2025/26 UCL league phase?

Mikel Arteta is under pressure to lift some silverware this season and the Gunners made a real run in the Champions League last year. Is this the time for Arsenal to finally be crowned European champions?

Kevin de Bruyne returns to take on Manchester City.

Just months on from his departure, one of Man City's greatest-ever players returns to the Etihad Stadium. Will KDB show his former team what they're missing?

The final name from Pot 3, Napoli.

The Italian champions face Chelsea, Man City Frankfurt, Benfica, Sporting CP, PSV, Qarabag and Copenhagen. 

UCL fixtures for PSV Eindhoven.

They will take on Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Atleti, Leverkusen, Napoli, Olympiacos, Union SG and Newcastle United. 

The UCL draw for Slavia Praha.

The Czech champions face Barcelona, Inter, Arsenal, Atalanta, Bodo/Glimt, Totenham, Atheltic Club and Pafos. 

Next up, it's Ajax.

They will play Inter, Chelsea, Benfica, Villarreal, Olympiacos, Marseille, Galatasaray and Qarabag. 

Next out of Pot 3, it's Olympiacos.

The Greek giants face Real Madrid, Barcelona, Leverkusen, Arsenal, PSV, Ajax, Pafos and Kairat Almaty. 

Sporting CP fixtures confirmed.

The Portuguese champions face PSG, Bayern Munich, Club Brugge, Juventus, Marseille, Napoli, Kairat Almaty and Athletic Club. 

Bodo/Glimt will face...

They take on Man City, Dortmund, Juventus, Atleti, Tottenham, Slavia Praha, Monaco and Galatasaray. 

Now it's Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs will face Dortmund, PSG, Villarreal, Frankfurt, Slavia Praha, Bodo/Glimt, Copenhagen and Monaco. 

First out, it's Marseille.

The French side will take on Liverpool, Real Madrid, Atalanta, Club Brugge, Ajax, Sporting CP, Newcastle and Union SG. 

Now we're onto Pot 3, still some big teams to come!

Real Madrid learn their UCL opponents for 2025/26.

There's some familiar faces in the list for Real Madrid, with Liverpool, Man City and Juventus on the schedule. 

Barcelona's Champions League draw.

Here's who Hansi Flick's side will face in Europe...

Pot 2 draw completed, here's a look at the full schedule for those nine teams...

Leverkusen
 
PSG H
Man City A
Villarreal H
Benfica A
PSV H
Olympiacos A
Newcastle H
Copenhagen A
 
Arsenal
 
Bayern H
Inter A
Atlético H
Club Brugge A
Olympiacos H
Slavia Prague A
Kairat H
Athletic Club A
 
Atalanta
 
Chelsea H
PSG A
Club Brugge H
Eintracht A
Slavia Prague H
Marseille A
Athletic Club H
Union SG A
 
Benfica
 
Real Madrid H
Chelsea A
Leverkusen H
Juventus A
Napoli H
Ajax A
Qarabag H
Newcastle A
 
Club Brugge
 
Barcelona H
Bayern A
Arsenal H
Atalanta A
Marseille H
Sporting A
Monaco H
Kairat A
 
Eintracht Frankfurt
 
Liverpool H
Barcelona A
Atalanta H
Atlético A
Spurs H
Napoli A
Galatasaray H
Qarabag A
 
Juventus
 
Dortmund H
Real Madrid A
Benfica H
Villarreal A
Sporting H
Bodo/Glimt A
Pafos H
Monaco A
 
Atlético
 
Inter H
Liverpool A
Eintracht H
Arsenal A
Bodo/Glimt H
PSV A
Union SG H
Galatasaray A
 
Villarreal
 
Man City H
Dortmund A
Juventus H
Leverkusen A
Ajax H
Spurs A
Copenhagen H
Pafos A

Last out, Villarreal in Pot 2.

They will play Man City, Dortmund, Juventus, Leverkusen, Ajax, Tottenham, Copenhagen and Pafos. 

Next up, Atletico Madrid.

It's Inter Milan, Liverpool, Frankfurt, Arsenal, PSV, Union SG and Galatasaray for Diego Simeone's team. 

Next up, it's Juventus.

Juventus will take on Dortmund, Real Madrid, Benfica, Villarreal, Sporting CP, Bodo/Glimt, Pafos and Monaco. 

Club Brugge's UCL schedule.

They will take on Barcelona Bayern, Arsenal, Atalnta, Marseille, SPorting CP, Monaco and Kairat Almaty. 

Benfica will play...

It's Real Madrid, Chelsea, Leverkusen, Juventus, Napoli, Ajax, Qarabag and Newcastle for Benfica. 

Third out of Pot 2, it's Atalanta.

They will face Chelsea, PSG, Club Brugge, Frankfurt, Slavia Praha, Marseille, Athletic Club and Union SG. 

Next up, it's Arsenal.

The Gunners draw Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Atleti, Club Brugge, Olympiacos, Slavia Praha, Keirat, Almaty and Athletic Club. 

Bayer Leverkusen UCL fixtures confirmed.

The German side will face PSG, Man City, Villarreal, Benfica, PSV, Olympiacos, Newcastle and Copenhagen. 

Pot one fixtures completed for the Champions League draw!

Well then, that's the first round of the draw completed. The big headline is that Real Madrid will take on Manchester City and Liverpool once again, reigniting two of the most thrilling UCL rivalries of recent years. 

Onto pot 2!

Man City fixture for the Champions League

City face Dortmund, Real Madrid, Leverkusen, Villarreal, Napoli, Bodo/Glimt, Galatasaray and Monaco. 

UCL fixtures for PSG

They've got Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Atalnta, Leverkusen, Tottenham, Sporting CP, Newcastle and Athletic Club. 

Next up, reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain...

Who will Barcelona play in the Champions League?

The Spanish side will play Chelsea, PSG, Frankfurt, Club Brugge, Olympiacos, Slavia Praha, Copenhagen and Newcastle. 

It'll be Barcelona who learn their fixtures next...

Liverpool's Champions League fixture list

Arne Slot's side will take on Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Atleti, Frankfurt, PSV, Marseille, Qarabag and Galatasaray. 

The next team out of the pot is Liverpool, the Premier League champions...

Dortmund discover Champions League fixtures

It's Inter Milan, Man City, Villarreal, Juventus, Bodo/Glimt, Tottenham, Athletic Club and Copenhagen for Dortmund. 

Next it'll be Borussia Dortmund...

Inter Milan's UCL fixtures confirmed!

The Italian giants will face Liverpool, Dortmund, Arsenal, Atleti, Slavia Praha, Ajax, Kairat Almaty and Union SG. 

Who will Real Madrid play in the UCL?

Los Blancos draw Manchester City, Liverpool, Juventus, Benfica, Marseille, Olympiacos, Monaco and Kairat Almaty. 

Now it's Real Madrid...

Chelsea get their UCL fixtures

The Blues will face Barcelona, Bayern, Benfica, Atalanta, Ajax, Napoli, Pafos and Qarabag. 

Next up, it'll be Chelsea who learn their schedule..

Bayern Munich's Champions League fixtures confirmed!

Bayern Munich will face Chelsea, PSG, Club Brugge, Arsenal, Sporting CP, PSV, Union SG and Pafos. 

First name out the hat, it's Bayern Munich!

Get ready for Pot 1…

Champions League draw imminent!

It appears as if the draw is about to take place sooner than we all thought it might. Giorgio Marchetti, the deputy secretary general of UEFA, is here on stage and is raving about how the new format worked last season. 

"We had a great team, a great coach and amazing supporters. Winning that trophy is really amazing – it's one of the best moments in my career."

Kaká to help Ibrahimovic with Champions League draw

Pinto and Chowdry have introduced Kaká to the proceedings. Much is now being made of how they both played for Milan but never at the same time. Now, they will have the chance to team up for the draw. 

"The good guy and the bad guy," says Ibra. "You can decide which one".  

Zlatan Ibrahimovic wins President's Award

Who would've thought it...? UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has just presented Zlatan Ibrahimovic with an award, named the President's Award. 

"Zlatan was not just a fantastic player, he’s a great man."

A phrase Zlatan could quite easily have said himself, but was actually uttered by Ceferin. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic stars in another UEFA video

Just as he did last year, the legendary Swedish striker had a starring role in a slick UEFA video at the Champions League draw ceremony. Here's how it went...

"Yes, it has been an exciting few years for the club. On behalf of over 120 years at CFC, thank you from us.

"I'd say this validates the success of our young squad in a European campaign, we were also the youngest squad in the Premier League and qualified for the Champions League domestically. To be here and be part of this tournament is an honor and it will be special to bring UCL football back to Stamford Bridge."

Chelsea honored for title hat-trick

With last year's UEFA Conference League success, Chelsea became the first team to win all three UEFA domestic trophies (Champions League, Europa League). They received a special award from European soccer's governing body to mark that achievement. 

Why are there five Spanish teams in the Champions League draw?

We explained a little earlier why there are six English clubs in the draw. LaLiga provides the next most with five, with comes down to Spain being the next best performing country in European competitions in 2024/25. That gave LaLiga an extra Champions League place, claimed by Villarreal. 

Champions League royalty in Monaco

Kaká won the Champions League with AC Milan in 2007 and left a whole host of memories during his time playing in the competition. He has arrived for the draw in Monaco and we'll no doubt see more of him a little later on. 

Real Madrid

https://en.as.com/soccer/real-madrids-possible-opponents-in-the-202526-champions-league-league-phase-n/

Real Madrid's potential Champions League opponents

With all that in mind, these are the teams Real Madrid could face in the league phase. To make things simple, there are only four teams they can't play: Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Villarreal and Athletic Club, the other Spanish representatives. 

No Clásico: Champions League draw restrictions

No group stage fixtures can be played between teams from the same country, while no team can play more than two matches against teams from a different country (i.e. Real Madrid can face a maximum of two Italian opponents). 

That means there will be no league phase Clásico, but Madrid or Barcelona could play against fellow superpowers PSG, Manchester City, Bayern Munich or Liverpool. 

2025/26 Champions League draw: teams and pots

These are the 36 teams that are about to learn their Champions League fates in the league phase. As mentioned, four pots of nine teams have been created based on their UEFA club ranking. 

Pot 1: PSG, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern, Liverpool, Inter, Chelsea, Dortmund, Barcelona

Pot 2: Arsenal, Leverkusen, Atlético Madrid, Club Brugge, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, Benfica

Pot 3: Tottenham, PSV, Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Bodø/Glimt, Marseille

Pot 4: Monaco, Galatasaray, Copenhagen, Union Saint-Gilloise, Athletic Bilbao, Qarabag, Newcastle, Pafos, Kairat

2025/26 Champions League league phase format

A friendly reminder that the good old ‘traditional’ group stage is a thing of the past and the Champions League first round is now all about the ‘new and improved’ league phase. 

The 36 teams have been separated into four pots (1 to 4) of nine teams. Each team will play eight fixtures against eight different teams, two from each pot, including their own pot. 

Once the eight fixtures have been played, the top eight teams progress to the round of 16, while teams finishing 9th to 24th take part in a two-legged playoff to determine the other eight qualifiers for the round of 16.

25th and down are out, I'm afraid, with no falling back into the Europa League these days. 

As easy as that. 

20 minutes to go until the draw gets going in Monaco! That means it's probably time for a little reminder or two...

Champions League prize money

Each of the 36 qualifying teams receives a league phase allocation of €18.62 million ($21.73 million), which is split into a down-payment of €17.87million ($20.85 million) and a balance of €750k (circa $875,000), according to UEFA’s website.

Qualifying clubs also earn a performance-related bonus, which will be paid for each match in the League Phase. This equals €2.1m ($2.45m) per win and €700k ($817,000) per draw.

Finish in the top eight of the League Phase: €2m ($2.33m) each

Finished between ninth and 16th: €1m ($1.17m) each

Knockout round play-offs: €1m ($1.17m) per club

Round of 16: €11m ($12.84m) per club

Quarter-finals: €12.5m ($14.59m) per club

Semi-finals: €15m ($17.51m) per club

Final: €18.5m ($21.59m) per club

Winners can expect to receive an additional €6.5m ($7.59m).

Arsenal: the pot 2 team to avoid?

Arsenal, who will be in Pot 2, head into another chance to chase the trophy they covet most: the Champions League. The London side came within touching distance of the final last season, and this summer they have strengthened with key signings such as Martín Zubimendi and striker Viktor Gyökeres, the center forward they had been waiting for years to land.

Are they the most dangerous team in Pot 2 (which also contains Atlético Madrid, Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen?) 

2025/26 Champions League notable absentees

While some unfancied clubs have made it through to the league phase, some past Champions League regulars won't be involved in this year's competition. That includes Manchester United, too busy losing to four-tier team Grimsby Town, seven-time European champions AC Milan, 2004 winners Porto and José Mourinho's Fenerbahçe, who were beaten in the playoff round by Benfica. 

Champions League

The 2025/26 Champions League qualifiers you’ve probably never heard of

What do you mean you've never heard of some of those names...? If that does happen to be the case, we can't blame you too much, as the likes ofPafos and Kairat have never played in the Champions League before. 

Here's more on some of this year's lower-profile teams, who may well find themselves up against Real Madrid, Barcelona or PSG. 

This week’s Champions League qualifiers

Today’s league phase draw comes less than 24 hours after the identities of all 36 teams were known. The final stages of Champions League qualification took place this week, with Kairat (Kazakhstan), Qarabag (Azerbaijan), Pafos (Cyprus), Bodø/Glimt (Norway), Copenhagen (Denmark), Benfica (Portugal) and Club Brugge (Belgium) booking the final seven spots. 

UEFA Champions League

UEFA 2025/26 Champions League draw: times, how to watch on TV, stream online | league phase draw

If you're hanging your hat on being able to watch the draw, then you're in luck! Keeping up to speed with the on-stage action in Monaco couldn't be simpler and won't cost you a single cent. Here's Paul with all the details. 

Barcelona could make special Champions League request

Speaking of Barcelona, the Catalans could request to play their first Champions League league-phase match away from home due to ongoing construction issues at the new Spotify Camp Nou, according to The Athletic. Structural problems at the stadium and uncertainty over where the team would play until those issues are resolved are the reasons UEFA may consider altering the schedule, something that is not usually done.

Madrid, Barcelona and PSG: Chelsea's favored away trips

Chelsea players have shared which stadiums they’d most like to visit in next season’s Champions League. Robert Sánchez, João Pedro, Trevoh Chalobah and Pedro Neto all picked the Santiago Bernabéu as their top choice, although the Spanish goalkeeper later switched his answer to the Parc des Princes to, in his words, “take away PSG fans’ excuses.” Meanwhile, Marc Cucurella, Reece James and Estevão preferred a trip to Catalonia. 

2025/26 Champions League draw countdown

An hour to go until the draw commences in Monaco! Things officially get underway at 6pm local time, which works out at 12pm ET and 9am PT. UEFA love a long, drawn out ceremony, however, so we might have to wait a little longer to know who Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man City, PSG et al. will be facing in the league phase. 

Final venue for May 30 match

The Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary, will provide the stage as the Champions League action reaches its climax on 30 May 2026. The stadium also hosted the UEFA Europa League decider in 2023 as Sevilla edged out Jose Mourinho's AS Roma on a penalty shoot-out.

Champions League: 25-26 favourites

Ahead of the draw, these are the favourites to triumph in Budapest next May according to leading bookmakers:

While specific betting odds fluctuate, here's a general overview of the favorites for the 2025-26 Champions League, based on current market trends and sports analysis:

Top Favorites:

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG): As the defending champions from the 2024-25 season, PSG are often listed as the initial favorites to repeat their success.

Liverpool: Reigning Premier League champions

Real Madrid: The record holders for the most Champions League titles, Real Madrid are always considered a major threat.

Barcelona: The Catalans are expected to go all the way this season as the team moves into their second year under Hansi Flick.

Other outside contenders:

Arsenal: Having come close in the previous season, Arsenal is seen as a strong team with the potential to win the title for the first time.

Manchester City: The 2023 champions are always a force to be reckoned with and are expected to be in the mix.

Bayern Munich: As a perennial powerhouse in European football, Bayern Munich is never to be counted out.

Dark horse: Calling the Serie A champions Napoli dark horses feels a little redundant but the side are pitted in Pot 3 and expect Conte's men to go deep in the competition.

UCL/European Cup: previous winners

The UEFA Champions League, and its predecessor the European Cup, has been won by 24 different clubs. The list of winners is as follows:

Real Madrid (15 titles) - The most successful club in the competition's history.

AC Milan (7 titles)

Bayern Munich (6 titles)

Liverpool (6 titles)

Barcelona (5 titles)

Ajax (4 titles)

Manchester United (3 titles)

Inter Milan (3 titles)

Chelsea (2 titles)

Benfica (2 titles)

Nottingham Forest (2 titles)

Porto (2 titles)

Juventus (2 titles)

Borussia Dortmund (1 title)

Celtic (1 title)

Hamburg (1 title)

Steaua București (1 title)

Marseille (1 title)

Manchester City (1 title)

Paris Saint-Germain (1 title)

Feyenoord (1 title)

Aston Villa (1 title)

PSV Eindhoven (1 title)

Red Star Belgrade (1 title)

Who USG players dream of facing in the Champions League

Making their first ever appearance in the group stage of the Champions League, Belgium side Union St. Gilloise players offered some of their ideal opponents in the forthcoming competition.

Can't wait for the draw, try the UCL simulator

Ahead of the 2025-26 UCL league draw, have a go with the simulator and see what your personal draw throws up.

It will also give you an idea of some of the potential big games that this new format could deliver.

UCL simulator: https://draw.inker.one/#/cl/ls

Champions League final moves to 6pm

Earlier today UEFA’s confirmed that, going forward the kick-off time for this season’s #UCL final in Budapest will be at 18:00 (local time) this also applies to future editions offering fans more time to secure return travel.

When will UEFA confirm the definitive dates and times for the games?

UEFA have stated that the definitive fixture list, including match dates and kick-off times, will be published no later than Saturday, 30 August, allowing time for the draws of UEFA’s other club competitions with the UEFA Conference and Europa Leagues taking place tomorrow..

The league phase matchdays start on September 16-18, 2025 and conclude on matchday eight on January 28, 2026.

Madrid set their sights on UCL title #16

What will replace the 'Group of Death'?

So, no more group's of death given the shift in the format...

But, that doesn't mean that the draw can serve up some tricky ties or offer a smoother passage for other teams.

Dream draw

None of the sides in Pot A are pushovers with Dortmund possibly being the weakest of the bunch. Brugge and Eintracht Frankfurt will be seen by many as the easiest draws in Pot 2 with Slavia Prague and Bodo Glimt the ideal draws in Pot 3. Pafos, Kiryat and Qarabag will be high on many club’s Pot 4 wishlist with the long travel distance to both Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan set to offer logistical complications.

Draw from 'hell'

Being handed draws with PSG and Real Madrid from Pot A is something that no team would wish for with Arsenal, Juventus and Atletico Madrid being three of the stronger teams in Pot 2.

Europa League winners Tottenham and Serie A champions Napoli are certainly the teams to avoid in Pot 3 while no-one will fancy drawing Newcastle or Athletic Club in Pot 4.

Other key dates for latter stages of 25-26 UCL

Knockout phase play-offs: 17/18 & 24/25 February 2026
Round of 16: 10/11 & 17/18 March 2026
Quarter-finals: 7/8 & 14/15 April 2026
Semi-finals: 28/29 April & 5/6 May 2026
Final: 30 May 2026 (Budapest)

Champions League

Why does the English Premier League have six teams in the 2025/26 Champions League?

Chelsea getting in the mood

The Blues are one of six (6) Premier League representatives in this year's competition. 

Why is this I hear you ask...Stay tuned and all will be revealed.

Breaking down the 'Swiss Model' league format

The general verdict among the football fraternity was that the group stage format had become a little predictable and jaded and an overhaul was needed.

Did this work with season one of the new format? In parts is the (difficult) answer. The last day was quite exciting and the likes of Man City and PSG were close to being eliminated. The Parisian side ended 15th in the league stage and went on to win the competition.

So, instead of traditional format that saw all 32 teams being drawn into eight groups of four and playing six group games, the 36 qualified teams will instead take part in eight matches and go into one giant table, with goal difference the first tie-breaker for teams finishing level on points.

Each team will be drawn to face two clubs from each pot, including their own, which should ensure their eight group-stage matches are of similar difficulty on the whole. As has been the case up until now, two teams from the same country cannot be drawn against other.

The top eight teams in the league go through to the R16 knockout stages, with the 16 teams who finish between ninth and 24th taking part in a two-legged playoff to join them.

The playoff winners will be unseeded in the next round, with the competition reverting back to its ‘traditional’ format thereafter.

2025-26 Adidas match ball

Earlier in the week, Adidas unveiled the official matchball that will be used for the league phase of the 2025-26 competition with a bold style featuring images representing the twelve signs of the zodiac. 

Monaco, the epicentre of world football today

All eyes in the football world will be firmly fixed on events taking place at the Grimaldi Centre later this evening as we learn what games we can look forward to in the 71st edition of the European Cup/Champions League.

Dates for the eight UCL 2025/26 matchdays

Matchday 1: 16–18 September 2025
Matchday 2: 30 September–1 October 2025
Matchday 3: 21/22 October 2025
Matchday 4: 4/5 November 2025
Matchday 5: 25/26 November 2025
Matchday 6: 9/10 December 2025
Matchday 7: 20/21 January 2026
Matchday 8: 28 January 2026

UCL new faces

This season's Champion League Swiss Model league format welcomes a series of 'new faces'.

Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) - This is their debut in the Champions League.

Bodø/Glimt (Norway) - They are the first Norwegian club to qualify since the 2007-2008 season.

Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan) - This marks their first time in the Champions League league phase, making them the most easterly team to ever participate.

Pafos (Cyprus) - This Cypriot club is also making its Champions League debut.

Champions League 25-26 draw pots

First things first, the most important aspect of today's draw.... What teams are participating in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League.

Here's a breakdown of the four pots that comprise the 36 sides:

The four UCL pots

Pot 1: PSG, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern, Liverpool, Inter, Chelsea, Dortmund, Barcelona

Pot 2: Arsenal, Leverkusen, Atlético Madrid, Club Brugge, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, Benfica

Pot 3: Tottenham, PSV, Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Bodo/Glimt, Marseille

Pot 4: Monaco, Galatasaray, Copenhagen, Union Saint-Gilloise, Athletic Bilbao, Qarabag, Newcastle, Pafos, Kairat

The gala event in Monaco's Grimaldi Forum actually commences at 12pm (ET) / 9am (PT) or 6pm local time and between the draw itself and the various awards that are expected to be handed out during the ceremony, we're expecting the entire event to take approximately 90 minutes.

Hello and a very welcome to you all ahead of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League draw.... 

We follow the pattern established last season with a distinctive twist to the format and indeed the draw.

So settle in, sit back as we begin our build-up ahead to the second draw procedure ahead of the new 'Swiss Model' 36 team league format.