The league‑phase draw for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League is set to happen on Thursday in Monaco, kicking off at 17:00 UK time. Below is a comprehensive guide covering everything fans need to know before the event gets underway. 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 qualification rounds. The tournament is now in its third year under the new format that was introduced a few seasons ago. Under this system, each club will face eight different opponents during the league phase – two clubs drawn from each of the four pots (Pots 1, 2, 3 and 4).
Half of those eight matches will be played on home soil, with the other half away, ensuring a balanced schedule for every side. The draw itself is performed by a sophisticated computer algorithm. A single press of a button triggers the program to automatically select the eight opponents for each club, eliminating the need for manual ball‑drawing and reducing the chance of human error.
While the four qualification spots are still pending, the remaining 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 that ends with the 2025/26 season.
Among the headline‑making moments in recent football news, Lamine Yamal scored a sensational brace for Barcelona in a 5‑2 victory over Rayo Vallecano, and Gary Neville has been vocal about several topics, from urging Jack Grealish to remain at Manchester City to questioning whether Arsenal can lift the Champions League without a marquee striker. Back‑to‑back champions Paris Saint‑Germain sit in Pot 1 together with Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, Inter Milan, Arsenal, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Manchester United and the Europa League winners Aston Villa – both returning to the Champions League after a hiatus – have been placed in Pot 2. New UEFA regulations impose restrictions on repeat fixtures.
For example, Liverpool cannot be drawn to host Real Madrid in this Thursday’s draw because a team may not face the same league‑phase opponent at home for three consecutive seasons. Liverpool met Real Madrid at Anfield in the previous two campaigns, winning 2‑0 in November 2024 and 1‑0 a year later. They may still be paired with Real Madrid away, however. Each club will be matched with two opponents from each pot, creating a total of eight league‑phase games – four at home and four away.
Liverpool also cannot be drawn against any other English side in the league phase, which means their opponents will come from the continental pool. Consequently, Liverpool is guaranteed to face at least one of the following clubs at Anfield: Paris Saint‑Germain, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Barcelona or Atletico Madrid. A similar restriction applies to Arsenal.
The Gunners have met Inter Milan at the San Siro in the last two league‑phase campaigns, losing 1‑0 in November 2024 before turning the tables with a 3‑1 win in January 2025. As a result, Arsenal will definitely be drawn against one of Paris Saint‑Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona or Atletico Madrid in an away fixture, while they could also be paired with Inter at home. The competition’s structure rewards the top eight finishers in the league‑phase table with automatic qualification for the round of 16. Teams that finish 25th or lower are eliminated outright and do not drop into the Europa League.
Clubs placed between ninth and 24th enter a two‑legged knockout‑phase playoff. Those finishing ninth to 16th are seeded and will face an unseeded opponent (positions 17‑24) with the second leg played at home. The eight winners of the playoff round will then join the eight seeded clubs in the round of 16, and the tournament proceeds through quarter‑finals, semi‑finals and the final. Key dates for the league‑phase fixtures 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 draw for the two‑legged knockout‑phase playoffs has yet to be scheduled.
The subsequent knockout‑phase timeline is: - Playoff legs: 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 The climax of the tournament, the final, will be staged at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, on 5 June 2027. Fans looking for extra excitement can also try the "Super 6" promotion, which offers a chance to win £1 million with a free entry.
This adds an extra layer of engagement for supporters following the draw and the ensuing matches.