The league‑phase draw for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League is scheduled for Thursday in Monaco, kicking off at 5 p.m. UK time.
Below is a comprehensive guide covering everything you 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 by the close of last season, while the remaining seven spots will be filled by teams emerging from the qualifying rounds. The tournament is now in its third season under the revamped format introduced a few years ago. Under this system, each club will face eight different opponents during the league phase – two clubs drawn from each of the four seeding pots (Pots 1, 2, 3 and 4).
Half of these eight fixtures will be played at the club’s home stadium, the other half away. The draw itself is conducted by a sophisticated computer algorithm. With a single press of a button, the super‑computer automatically generates the eight opponents for every team, ensuring that all the complex UEFA constraints are respected.
While the four qualifying‑round places are still pending, the other thirty‑two participants have already been confirmed. The allocation of clubs to the four pots is based on UEFA’s club coefficient rankings, which take into account each team’s performance in European competitions over the five‑year period ending with the 2025/26 season. The top‑seeded Pot 1 contains the defending champions Paris Saint‑Germain together with Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, Inter Milan, Arsenal, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. These clubs are considered the elite of European football and are guaranteed a relatively favourable draw.
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. The remaining pots are filled with clubs whose coefficients place them lower in the ranking hierarchy. One of the notable restrictions for this year’s draw concerns Liverpool.
Under the new UEFA regulations, a club cannot be paired with the same league‑phase opponent for three consecutive seasons. Liverpool have faced Real Madrid at Anfield in the two previous campaigns – winning 2‑0 in November 2024 and 1‑0 a year later – so they cannot be drawn against the Spanish side at home this time. They may still meet Real Madrid on the road, however. Another rule prevents Liverpool from being paired with any other English side during the league phase.
Since Arsenal and Manchester City are both in Pot 1, Liverpool’s eight matches will necessarily include at least one encounter with a club such as Paris Saint‑Germain, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Barcelona or Atletico Madrid on their home turf. The same logic applies to Arsenal. The Gunners have played Inter Milan away at the San Siro in each of the last two league‑phase campaigns – a 1‑0 defeat in November 2024 followed by a 3‑1 victory in January 2025.
Consequently, Arsenal will be drawn against one of the other Pot 1 clubs (Paris Saint‑Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona or Atletico Madrid) in an away fixture, while they could still face Inter at home. After the league‑phase matches are completed, the competition moves into the knockout stage.
The eight highest‑placed teams in the league table will automatically qualify for the round of 16. Teams finishing 25th or lower are eliminated outright and do not drop into the Europa League. Clubs placed between ninth and 24th will contest a two‑legged knockout‑phase play‑off. Those finishing between ninth and 16th are seeded and will be drawn against a team finishing between 17th and 24th, with the second leg played at home.
The eight winners of these play‑offs will join the top‑eight seeded clubs in the round of 16. The schedule for the league‑phase matchdays is 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 dates for the two‑legged knockout‑phase play‑offs have yet to be announced. Once those are set, the subsequent rounds will follow this timetable: - 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 The grand finale will be staged at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, on 5 June 2027, where the champion of Europe will be crowned.
Fans looking for extra excitement can also take part in the Super 6 promotion, which offers a chance to win a £1 million prize at no cost. Participation is free and open to anyone following the competition.
In summary, the Thursday draw in Monaco will set the stage for a thrilling league‑phase campaign, with each club navigating a complex web of constraints and opportunities. Whether you are a supporter of a top‑seeded giant or a club fighting for a play‑off spot, the upcoming fixtures promise drama, high‑quality football, and the occasional surprise as teams vie for a place in the knockout rounds and, ultimately, the coveted Champions League trophy.