The wait is over. This Thursday, August 28 at 12:00 PM ET, the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 draw will take place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, where the 36 qualified clubs will find out their eight opponents in the opening phase of the competition. It will be the second edition under the new league-phase format, which completely replaced the traditional group stage.

How does the league-phase format work?

Unlike previous seasons, all 36 teams compete in a single overall table. Each club plays eight matches: four at home and four away. Opponents are drawn from four pots, divided by UEFA coefficient, with each team facing two clubs from each pot.

Key rules include: teams from the same country cannot face each other at this stage, and no more than two clubs from the same league can be drawn against the same team.

The league phase will run from September 16, 2025 to January 28, 2026. The top eight teams will qualify directly for the round of 16, while clubs finishing between ninth and 24th place will contest a two-legged playoff in February.

Confirmed clubs and pots

With four spots still to be decided in the qualifying rounds, 32 teams are already confirmed. Pot 1 features giants such as Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Inter Milan.

Pot 2 includes strong contenders like Arsenal, Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, Atalanta, Eintracht Frankfurt, and potentially Tottenham.

In Pot 3, notable teams are Napoli, Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Sporting CP, and Marseille. Finally, Pot 4 brings tricky sides such as Newcastle United, Galatasaray, Monaco, and Union Saint-Gilloise, along with debutants like Pafos (Cyprus) and Kairat (Kazakhstan).

Key dates for the Champions League 2025/26

• League phase: September 16, 2025 – January 28, 2026
• Knockout playoffs: February 17/18 & 24/25, 2026
• Round of 16: March 10/11 & 17/18, 2026
• Quarterfinals: April 7/8 & 14/15, 2026
• Semifinals: April 28/29 & May 5/6, 2026
• Final: May 30, 2026 in Budapest

Excitement across Europe

The 2025/26 Champions League promises drama from the very start. With historic giants, rising clubs, and eager debutants, the new edition of Europe’s most prestigious tournament is set to shape the season’s narrative and deliver plenty of surprises in its league phase.