Missing the World Cup? Good news: The Champions League is already back
Europe’s biggest club competition has quietly kicked off, even if most of the continent’s biggest teams are still waiting to join.
With the 2026 World Cup now over, millions of soccer fans across the globe have been left with gaping holes to fill in their sports viewing schedule.
MLS and Liga MX are already back underway, of course, but fans of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester United and the like face a wait of several weeks before seeing their heroes back in action.
The 2026-27 Premier League season kicks off on Friday, Aug. 21. By that time, the new LaLiga campaign will already be underway. The first games in Spain will be played on Saturday, Aug. 15, although Madrid and Barcelona won’t play their opening fixtures until the following weekend because a number of their players took part in the latter stages of the World Cup.
The Champions League has quietly returned
If you’re looking for elite-level European action, however, you may have missed that the Champions League is already underway. Kind of.
The first of four qualifying rounds for the 2026-27 league phase has already been completed, with the champions from some of the continent’s less heralded leagues taking part.
⚽ The road to the league phase is already producing some great stories across Europe.
— UEFA (@UEFA) July 17, 2026
Catch up on some of the highlights from the first qualifying round.#UCL #UEL #UECL
Kairat of Kazakhstan, who hosted Real Madrid in last season’s league phase, and Bulgarian champions Levski Sofia, who have played in the Champions League group stage in the past, were among the teams to progress to the second qualifying round. Those ties will be played this week, on July 21 and 22, and next week, on July 28 and 29, with the likes of Fenerbahçe and Red Star Belgrade entering the competition.
When do Europe’s biggest clubs enter?
Lyon, Bodø/Glimt and Olympiacos begin their campaigns in the third qualifying round, while Celtic and AEK Athens enter in the playoff round, the stage immediately preceding the league phase.
There are seven Champions League places up for grabs through the qualifying rounds, with the identities of the final qualifiers to be decided on Wednesday, Aug. 26.
The draw for the league phase will take place on Thursday, Aug. 27.
📊 Almost half of our men's club season takes place before the league phase begins.
— UEFA (@UEFA) July 14, 2026
⚽ More than 150 clubs have already started their qualifying campaigns across the @ChampionsLeague, @EuropaLeague and @Conf_League. pic.twitter.com/SSe5JPU81F
Confirmed 2026-27 Champions League league phase teams
Twenty-nine of the 36 teams in the league phase qualified directly. They are:
England
- Arsenal
- Aston Villa
- Liverpool
- Manchester City
- Manchester United
Spain
- Atlético Madrid
- Barcelona
- Real Betis
- Real Madrid
- Villarreal
Italy
- Como
- Inter Milan
- Napoli
- Roma
Germany
- Bayern Munich
- Borussia Dortmund
- RB Leipzig
- Stuttgart
Netherlands
- Feyenoord
- PSV
Portugal
- Porto
- Sporting CP
Belgium
- Club Brugge
Czechia
- Slavia Prague
Turkey
- Galatasaray
Ukraine
- Shakhtar Donetsk
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