Champions League
Champions League 2025: Everything You Need To Know – Teams, Draws & Schedule
The anticipation for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League is building as fans, teams, and football fans prepare for another entertaining campaign.
Here’s a comprehensive guide to what’s happening from qualification updates and key dates to the new format and where to watch the action unfold.
Next Champions League Draw and How to Watch
The upcoming UEFA Champions League draw is set for the playoff round of qualifiers, which is the final stage before the group phase begins.
However, the third qualifying round has yet to conclude, with matches scheduled to finish by August 13th.
Key Details:
Date: Monday, August 4th
Location: House of European Football, Nyon, Switzerland
When to Watch: UEFA.com, starting at 07:30 WAT
Pre-Draw Info: Seedings, groupings, and procedure details will be published on UEFA.com on August 4th.
This draw will determine the seven winners of the playoff round, who will join the 29 already qualified clubs for Europe’s premier club competition.
Teams Already Qualified for 2025/26
A total of 29 clubs have secured their spots in the group stage. They come from various European leagues and include some of the continent’s biggest names:
England: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle
Spain: Athletic Club, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Villarreal, Atlético Madrid, Sevilla
Germany: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt
Italy: Atalanta, Inter Milan, Juventus, Napoli
France: Marseille, Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain
Others: Ajax (NED), Galatasaray (TUR), Olympiacos (GRE), PSV Eindhoven (NED), Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (BEL), Slavia Prague (CZE), Sporting CP (POR)
The remaining seven slots depend on the outcomes of the ongoing qualifying rounds, which include the third qualifying round and playoff matches.
Key Dates for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League Season
Qualification & Draws:
Third Qualifying Round: August 5-6 (first legs), August 12-13 (second legs)
Playoff Round: August 19-20 (first legs), August 26-27 (second legs)
Playoff Draw: August 28
Group Stage & Main Phase:
First Matchday: September 16-18
Last Matchday of Group Stage: January 28, 2026
Knockout Stage & Final:
Round of 16 Draw: February 27, 2026
Round of 16: March 10-11 (first legs), March 17-18 (second legs)
Quarter-finals: April 7-8 (first legs), April 14-15 (second legs)
Semi-finals: April 28-29 (first legs), May 5-6 (second legs)
Final: May 30, 2026
When & Where is the 2026 Champions League Final?
Mark your calendars the grand finale will be held in Budapest at the Puskás Arena on May 30th, 2026. The stadium, with a seating capacity of approximately 67,215, is making history as the first Hungarian venue to host the Champions League final, promising an electrifying atmosphere.
The New UEFA Champions League Format
Last season, UEFA introduced a significant overhaul to the competition’s structure, moving away from the traditional 32-team group phase to a more expanded 36-team league phase.
UEFA Champions League format explained
Before the start of the previous season, UEFA’s top-tier competition and all of Europe’s continental cups underwent a significant overhaul. The traditional 32-team group stage was replaced by a new format featuring a 36-team league phase.
This season, just like last, each of the 36 teams plays eight games. The top eight at the end of the league phase automatically qualify for the round of 16, while the bottom eight are eliminated and do not drop down to the Europa League.
Meanwhile, teams that finish between ninth and 24th place advance to the knockout playoff round, where they compete to determine the remaining eight spots in the round of 16. The final draw for the knockout stages occurs after this playoff round.
In the round of 16, the top eight seeded teams are paired against the unseeded teams.
The competition then progresses through the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final, following the usual format of knockout cup tournaments.
