The league‑phase draw for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League is scheduled for Thursday in Monaco, kicking off at 17:00 UK time. Below is a comprehensive guide covering everything fans need to know before the event begins. A total of thirty‑six clubs will enter the competition at this stage.
Twenty‑nine of those have already secured their places based on last season's results, while the remaining seven spots will be filled by teams that progress through the qualifying rounds. The tournament is now in its third year under the revamped format that was introduced a few seasons ago.
Under this system each club will face eight different opponents during the league phase – two teams drawn from each of the four seeding pots (Pots 1, 2, 3 and 4). Half of those eight matches are played on home soil, the other half away. The draw itself is performed by a sophisticated computer algorithm. With a single press of a button the program automatically selects the eight opponents for every club, ensuring that all the competition’s complex restrictions are respected.
While the four qualifying‑round places are still pending, the other thirty‑two clubs have already been confirmed. The allocation of teams to the four pots is based on UEFA’s club coefficient rankings, which take into account each club’s performance in European competitions over the five‑year period ending with the 2025/26 season. The top‑seeded Pot 1 contains the reigning champions Paris Saint‑Germain together with Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, Inter Milan, Arsenal, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Pot 2 features Manchester United and the Europa League winners Aston Villa, both of which are returning to the Champions League after a brief absence.
UEFA’s new regulations also impose certain pairing restrictions. For example, Liverpool cannot be drawn to host Real Madrid in the league phase because a rule now prevents a team from meeting the same opponent at home for three consecutive seasons. Liverpool faced Real Madrid at Anfield in the previous two campaigns – winning 2‑0 in November 2024 and 1‑0 a year later – so a home fixture this time would breach the rule.
However, an away meeting against the Spanish giants remains permissible. In addition, clubs from the same domestic league cannot be paired against each other during the league phase.
Consequently, Liverpool will not be drawn against any English side. Since Pot 1 also contains Arsenal and Manchester City, Liverpool’s eight opponents will inevitably include at least one of the other Pot 1 clubs – Paris Saint‑Germain, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Barcelona or Atletico Madrid – when they play at Anfield. The same logic applies to Arsenal. The Gunners have met Inter Milan at the San Siro in each of the last two league‑phase campaigns, losing 1‑0 in November 2024 before turning the tables with a 3‑1 victory in January 2025.
Because of the intra‑league restriction, Arsenal must face one of the remaining Pot 1 teams – Paris Saint‑Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona or Atletico Madrid – on the road. They could still be drawn to host Inter Milan, as that would not conflict with the new rule.
Once the league‑phase schedule is set, the top eight finishers in the league table will automatically qualify for the round of 16. Teams that finish 25th or lower are eliminated from European competition entirely and do not drop into the Europa League.
Clubs placed between ninth and 24th enter a two‑legged knockout‑phase play‑off. Within this bracket, the teams finishing ninth to 16th are seeded and will be drawn against a club finishing 17th to 24th, with the second leg played at home for the seeded side. The eight winners of these play‑offs will join the pre‑qualified top‑eight clubs in the round of 16, after which the competition proceeds through the quarter‑finals, semi‑finals and ultimately the final. Key dates for the league‑phase matches are as follows: - Matchday 1: 8‑10 September - Matchday 2: 13‑14 October - Matchday 3: 20‑21 October - Matchday 4: 3‑4 November - Matchday 5: 24‑25 November - Matchday 6: 8‑9 December - Matchday 7: 19‑20 January - Matchday 8: 27 January The schedule for the two‑legged knockout‑phase play‑offs has yet to be announced.
The subsequent phases are slated for: - Play‑offs: 16‑17 February and 23‑24 February - Round of 16: 9‑10 March and 16‑17 March - Quarter‑finals: 6‑7 April and 13‑14 April - Semi‑finals: 27‑28 April and 4‑5 May - Final: 5 June 2027, to be contested at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain. Fans can also take part in the "Super 6" promotion for a chance to win a £1 million prize – entry is free of charge. This extra incentive adds a layer of excitement for supporters following the draw and the ensuing matches.