The draw for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League has been made in Monaco, with the 36 participating clubs now knowing their eight opponents for the league phase.
Under the expanded format, each team will play eight matches – four at home and four away – against eight different opponents. The top eight teams will qualify directly for the round of 16, while sides finishing between 9th and 24th will contest a play-off for the remaining knockout places. Teams finishing 25th to 36th will be eliminated.
The league phase kicks off on 16 September 2025 and runs until 28 January 2026. This season’s final will be held at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on 30 May 2026, with kick-off set for 18:00 CET.
Premier League sides handed tough draws
England’s six representatives have all been handed headline fixtures.
- Arsenal will face Bayern Munich, Inter, and Atletico Madrid among their eight games.
- Chelsea have been drawn against Barcelona, Bayern, and Napoli.
- Liverpool host Real Madrid at Anfield and also meet Inter, Atletico, and Galatasaray.
- Manchester City must travel to the Santiago Bernabéu to face Real Madrid, while also playing Borussia Dortmund and Napoli.
- Newcastle United will host Barcelona in a repeat of their classic 1997 clash, while also facing PSG and Benfica.
- Tottenham Hotspur reunite with PSG after their UEFA Super Cup defeat, and will also take on Dortmund, Frankfurt, and Monaco.
Elsewhere, PSG are set to meet both Bayern Munich and Barcelona, while Real Madrid will renew rivalries with Manchester City, Liverpool, and Juventus. Bayern Munich, meanwhile, must navigate ties with Chelsea, PSG, Arsenal, and Sporting CP.
Key dates for the 2025/26 Champions League
- Matchday 1: 16–18 September 2025
- Matchday 2: 30 September–1 October 2025
- Matchday 3: 21–22 October 2025
- Matchday 4: 4–5 November 2025
- Matchday 5: 25–26 November 2025
- Matchday 6: 9–10 December 2025
- Matchday 7: 20–21 January 2026
- Matchday 8: 28 January 2026
- Knockout play-off draw: 30 January 2026
- Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final draw: 27 February 2026
The full fixture list, including match dates and kick-off times, will be confirmed by UEFA no later than Saturday, 30 August 2025.