2026–27 men's competition
UEFA Champions League 2026–27: Dates, Teams & Format
Plan the full season from qualifying to Madrid: check every league-phase matchday, the 36-team format, qualified clubs, knockout dates and what happens after the August 27 draw.
Next major milestone
2026–27 Champions League league-phase draw
· · Monaco
Countdown loading…Opponents are drawn first; exact dates and kickoff times follow
Season timeline
Champions League 2026–27 dates by round
Qualifying began July 7, and the season ends with the Madrid final on June 5.
July 7, 2026
Qualifying begins
Four two-legged rounds decide the final seven league-phase places.
August 18–26, 2026
Play-off round
These knockout ties are played over two legs; the listed window covers both legs.
August 27, 2026
League phase draw
The draw gives each league-phase club eight different opponents.
September 8, 2026 – January 27, 2027
League phase
Eight matchdays run from September through January in one 36-club table.
February 16–24, 2027
Knockout phase play-offs
These knockout ties are played over two legs; the listed window covers both legs.
March 9–17, 2027
Round of 16
These knockout ties are played over two legs; the listed window covers both legs.
April 6–14, 2027
Quarter-finals
These knockout ties are played over two legs; the listed window covers both legs.
April 27 – May 5, 2027
Semi-finals
These knockout ties are played over two legs; the listed window covers both legs.
June 5, 2027
Final
A single match at Estadio Metropolitano decides the champion.
Dates remain subject to change. Check the fixture list before making matchday plans.
September to January
All eight 2026–27 Champions League league-phase matchdays
Matchday 1 has an exclusive three-night window; the remaining rounds use Tuesday and Wednesday dates.
September 8–10, 2026
The league phase opens across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.October 13–14, 2026
The second set of league-phase fixtures.October 20–21, 2026
A second consecutive October matchweek.November 3–4, 2026
The league phase reaches its halfway point.November 24–25, 2026
The final matchweek before December.December 8–9, 2026
The last Champions League games of 2026.January 19–20, 2027
The competition resumes after the winter break.January 27, 2027
All clubs complete the league phase before the table is finalized.Confirmed entry list
29 clubs currently listedTeams qualified directly for the 2026–27 league phase
ARS
ArsenalEngland AST
Aston VillaEngland ATL
Atlético de MadridSpain BAR
BarcelonaSpain MUN
Bayern MünchenGermany BOR
Borussia DortmundGermany CLU
Club BruggeBelgium COM
ComoItaly FEY
FeyenoordNetherlands GAL
GalatasarayTürkiye INT
InterItaly LEN
LensFrance LIL
LilleFrance LIV
LiverpoolEngland MAN
Manchester CityEngland MAN
Manchester UnitedEngland NAP
NapoliItaly PSV
PSV EindhovenNetherlands PSG
Paris Saint-GermainFrance POR
PortoPortugal RBL
RB LeipzigGermany REA
Real BetisSpain REA
Real MadridSpain ROM
RomaItaly SHA
Shakhtar DonetskUkraine SLA
Slavia PragueCzechia SPO
Sporting CPPortugal STU
StuttgartGermany VIL
VillarrealSpain
ArsenalEngland AST
Aston VillaEngland ATL
Atlético de MadridSpain BAR
BarcelonaSpain MUN
Bayern MünchenGermany BOR
Borussia DortmundGermany CLU
Club BruggeBelgium COM
ComoItaly FEY
FeyenoordNetherlands GAL
GalatasarayTürkiye INT
InterItaly LEN
LensFrance LIL
LilleFrance LIV
LiverpoolEngland MAN
Manchester CityEngland MAN
Manchester UnitedEngland NAP
NapoliItaly PSV
PSV EindhovenNetherlands PSG
Paris Saint-GermainFrance POR
PortoPortugal RBL
RB LeipzigGermany REA
Real BetisSpain REA
Real MadridSpain ROM
RomaItaly SHA
Shakhtar DonetskUkraine SLA
Slavia PragueCzechia SPO
Sporting CPPortugal STU
StuttgartGermany VIL
VillarrealSpainSeven places still decided on the pitch
Champions League qualifying and play-off contenders
Qualifying is split into champions and league paths from the second round onward; every tie is played over two legs.
AEK
AEK AthensGreece AGF
AGF ARA
Ararat-Armenia BOD
Bodø/GlimtNorway BBL
Borac Banja Luka UCRA
CSU Craiova CEL
CeljeSlovenia CEL
CelticScotland DRI
Drita Gjilan EGN
Egnatia ATB
FC Atert Bissen THUN
FC Thun SUT
FK Sutjeska FEN
FenerbahçeTürkiye FLO
Flora FLO
Floriana FC GNK
GNK DinamoCroatia GOR
Gornik Zabrze GYR
Györi ETO FC HBE
Hapoel Be'er HAP
Hapoel Beer-ShevaIsrael HOM
Heart of Midlothian IBE
Iberia 1999 IDE
Inter D'Escaldes KLA
KI Klaksvik KAI
Kairat Almaty ZAL
Kauno Zalgiris KUPS
KuPS Kuopio LAS
LASKAustria LAR
Larne LECH
Lech Poznan LEV
Levski SofiaBulgaria LRI
Lincoln Red Imps LYO
LyonFrance MLV
ML Vitebsk MJA
Mjällby AIF NEC
N.E.C.Netherlands NKC
NK Celje OLY
Olympiacos OMON
Omonia Nicosia PET
Petrocub RSB
Red Star Belgrade RIG
Riga FC STG
SK Sturm Graz SAB
SabahAzerbaijan SAB
Sabah FK SHR
Shamrock Rovers SLO
Slovan BratislavaSlovakia SPP
Sparta Prague TNS
The New Saints TREF
Tre Fiori USG
Union St.-Gilloise VAR
Vardar VIK
VikingNorway VIK
Vikingur Reykjavik
AEK AthensGreece AGF
AGF ARA
Ararat-Armenia BOD
Bodø/GlimtNorway BBL
Borac Banja Luka UCRA
CSU Craiova CEL
CeljeSlovenia CEL
CelticScotland DRI
Drita Gjilan EGN
Egnatia ATB
FC Atert Bissen THUN
FC Thun SUT
FK Sutjeska FEN
FenerbahçeTürkiye FLO
Flora FLO
Floriana FC GNK
GNK DinamoCroatia GOR
Gornik Zabrze GYR
Györi ETO FC HBE
Hapoel Be'er HAP
Hapoel Beer-ShevaIsrael HOM
Heart of Midlothian IBE
Iberia 1999 IDE
Inter D'Escaldes KLA
KI Klaksvik KAI
Kairat Almaty ZAL
Kauno Zalgiris KUPS
KuPS Kuopio LAS
LASKAustria LAR
Larne LECH
Lech Poznan LEV
Levski SofiaBulgaria LRI
Lincoln Red Imps LYO
LyonFrance MLV
ML Vitebsk MJA
Mjällby AIF NEC
N.E.C.Netherlands NKC
NK Celje OLY
Olympiacos OMON
Omonia Nicosia PET
Petrocub RSB
Red Star Belgrade RIG
Riga FC STG
SK Sturm Graz SAB
SabahAzerbaijan SAB
Sabah FK SHR
Shamrock Rovers SLO
Slovan BratislavaSlovakia SPP
Sparta Prague TNS
The New Saints TREF
Tre Fiori USG
Union St.-Gilloise VAR
Vardar VIK
VikingNorway VIK
Vikingur ReykjavikTwenty-nine clubs enter the league phase directly and seven arrive through qualifying.
Competition format
How the 2026–27 Champions League league phase works
One combined league table
There are no traditional four-team groups. All 36 clubs are ranked in the same standings.Eight different opponents
Each club faces two teams from every seeding pot, playing four games at home and four away.Twenty-four clubs continue
The first 24 positions advance, but only the top eight skip the knockout phase play-offs.Qualification line
What happens after the Champions League league phase?
Positions 1–8: directly into the Round of 16
The top eight avoid February's knockout phase play-offs and return for the Round of 16 in March.
Positions 9–24: knockout phase play-offs
These 16 clubs play a two-legged tie on February 16/17 and 23/24. The eight winners join the top eight in the last 16.
Positions 25–36: eliminated
The bottom 12 leave European competition. There is no transfer from the Champions League into the Europa League.
Draw explained
How the 2026–27 Champions League draw works
Four pots of nine clubs
The 36 teams are placed into four pots using club coefficients, with the defending Champions League winner seeded first in pot one.
Two opponents from every pot
Each club receives two opponents from each pot—including its own pot—and plays one of the pair at home and the other away.
Association limits and computer assistance
In principle, clubs cannot face a team from their own association and cannot face more than two opponents from another association. The automated system completes the valid opponent set after each club is drawn.
Final destination
2027 Champions League final in Madrid
Saturday, June 5 at Estadio Metropolitano
Atlético de Madrid's stadium hosts the single-match final. It is the ground's second Champions League final after Liverpool beat Tottenham there in 2019.
What the Champions League winner earns
Along with the trophy, the winner receives a 2027–28 Champions League league-phase place if not already qualified domestically and a place in the 2027 UEFA Super Cup.
Champions League 2026–27 FAQs
When does the 2026–27 Champions League start?
The first qualifying round began on July 7, 2026. The league phase begins across September 8–10, 2026 and ends on January 27, 2027.
When is the 2026–27 Champions League league-phase draw?
The draw is scheduled for Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 18:00 CET in Monaco. It gives each club eight opponents; UEFA confirms the exact match dates and kickoff times after the draw.
How many games does each club play in the Champions League league phase?
Each of the 36 clubs plays eight different opponents: two from each of four seeding pots, with four games at home and four away.
Which Champions League league positions qualify for the knockouts?
Positions 1–8 go directly to the Round of 16. Positions 9–24 enter two-legged knockout phase play-offs, while positions 25–36 are eliminated without dropping into the Europa League.
When and where is the 2027 Champions League final?
The final is scheduled for Saturday, June 5, 2027 at Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain.
What does the 2026–27 Champions League winner qualify for?
The winner earns a place in the 2027–28 Champions League league phase if not already qualified domestically and will face the Europa League winner in the 2027 UEFA Super Cup.