As the forthcoming campaign approaches, we’re excited about the return of the top-tier European club tournament.
The previous year marked the inaugural instance of the Champions League ‘League Phase,’ a shift from the previous group stage system, implemented by UEFA to invigorate and enhance the competition. While initial adjustments were needed, the heightened stakes and diverse team pairings appear to have been effective.
This season, a record-breaking six teams from England will participate, with Premier League victors Manchester United and runners-up Manchester City entering alongside Liverpool and Aston Villa in the draw.
Who has qualified for the 2025-26 Champions League?
Newcastle United will also be participating, having secured a spot through England’s elevated coefficient ranking, and Tottenham Hotspur booked their place by winning the Europa League last season.
Similar to last year, 36 teams will participate in the Champions League this season. Currently, 29 teams have qualified for the league phase, with prominent clubs like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain gaining entry based on their domestic league performances.
When is the draw for the 2025-26 Champions League League Phase?
Seven spots remain to be filled through the play-offs, with teams like Celtic, Rangers, Fenerbahçe, Benfica, and Basel vying for a place in the draw. The play-offs will conclude on Wednesday, August 27.
As has been the standard for some years, the draw for the Champions League League Phase will occur on a different date than the draws for the Europa League and Conference League.
The draw for the 2025-26 competition will be held on Thursday, August 28, at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. All 36 qualified teams will participate and be divided into four pots based on their UEFA rankings.
After the league phase, the top eight teams will advance to the knock-out rounds, while those ranked ninth to 24th will compete in a play-off.
Teams finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated from the competition and will not be relegated to the Europa League. Similarly, no teams will drop down from the Europa League to the Conference League.
The initial matches of this season’s Champions League ‘League Phase’ will commence on September 16, with the final matchday of the stage scheduled for January 28, 2026.
The draws for the Round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals will take place on February 27, 2026, and the final is scheduled to be held in Budapest on May 30, 2026.
