In an eagerly awaited draw, Liverpool and Manchester City are set to face off against formidable opponents like Real Madrid, while Chelsea will take on the historic giants Barcelona. This anticipation builds as fans look forward to key matchups, including a reunion between Trent Alexander-Arnold and his former club, Liverpool, after he made a significant move away from Anfield this summer.
Furthermore, Tottenham and Newcastle will challenge the current title holders, Paris Saint-Germain, in an intense clash that promises plenty of drama on the pitch. Arsenal faces a tough test as they match up against Bayern Munich, a team known for its strong history and competitive edge in the Champions League. The stakes are high in these fixtures, and fans are eager to see how their teams perform against such iconic European clubs.
Each of the six Premier League teams involved in this prestigious tournament will engage in a total of eight league-phase matches, split evenly between home and away games. The matches are scheduled to take place from September 2025 through January 2026, offering an exhilarating spectator experience throughout the fall and winter months. The draw signifies a significant change in the competition format, introduced in the 2024/25 season, which has replaced the traditional group stage with a league phase.
In this new setup, teams are now pitted against different opponents—two each from Pots 1, 2, 3, and 4, further rising the level of competition. The supercomputer responsible for the draw employs advanced algorithms to automatically select the eight opponents with the push of a single button, ensuring a seamless and fair process.
Under the revised rules, the eight teams that finish at the top of the league table will qualify automatically for the knockout phase, specifically the round of 16. Conversely, teams finishing in 25th place or lower will see their dreams of European success dashed, as they are eliminated from the tournament and do not have the option to drop down to the Europa League.
Those who finish in the ninth to 24th positions will enter a compelling two-legged knockout-phase play-off, where the seeds will provide an extra layer of strategy and excitement. Teams ranked between ninth and sixteenth will face off against those positioned from seventeenth to twenty-fourth, with the return leg taking place at the home ground of the higher-seeded team.
The competition will culminate in a thrilling aspect, where the eight clubs that triumph in the knockout-phase play-offs will have the opportunity to meet one of the eight seeded teams from the league phase for a coveted spot in the quarter-finals, intensifying the race for European glory. With such high stakes and fierce competition, the 2025/26 Champions League promises to be a memorable season for players and fans alike.
Champions League league-phase match dates and schedule
Matchday 1: September 16-18
Matchday 2: September 30-October 1
Matchday 3: October 21/22
Matchday 4: November 4/5
Matchday 5: November 25/26
Matchday 6: December 9/10
Matchday 7: January 20/21
Matchday 8: January 28
Champions League knockout-phase match dates and schedule
The draw for the two-legged knockout-phase play-offs takes place on January 30 2026.
The draws for the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals takes place on February 27.
Knockout phase play-offs: February 17/18 and 24/25
Round of 16: March 10/11 and 17/18
Quarter-finals: April 7/8 and 14/15
Semi-finals: April 28/29 and May 5/6
Final: May 30
When are where is the final?
The final will take place at the Puskas Arena in Hungary, Budapest on May 30 2026.
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