The 2026-27 Champions League league phase is set, with the draw in Monaco on August 27, 2026 and the final on June 5, 2027 at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid. Below is how the 36-club league phase works, the full league-phase fixtures grid (posted the moment the draw is made), every key date from Matchday 1 through the final, a printable standings tracker, and where to watch in the US.
2026-27 Champions League: Quick Facts
Last updated: August 9, 2026
- Clubs: 36 in the league phase
- Format: 8 games per club (4 home, 4 away), two opponents from each of the four pots
- Advance: Top 8 straight to the round of 16; 9th-24th to the knockout play-offs; 25th-36th eliminated
- League phase draw: August 27, 2026 in Monaco
- Matchday 1: September 8-10, 2026
- Final: June 5, 2027, Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid
How the 2026-27 Champions League League Phase Works
The Champions League runs a single 36-club league phase rather than eight groups of four. Every club is seeded into one of four pots of nine and plays 8 matches against 8 different opponents, two from each pot, with four games at home and four on the road. All 36 clubs share one combined standings table. The top 8 finishers go straight through to the round of 16. Clubs placing 9th through 24th drop into a two-legged knockout play-off round, and the winners join the top 8 in the last 16. Clubs finishing 25th through 36th are eliminated, and unlike the old format they do not transfer to the Europa League. From the round of 16 on, ties are two-legged until the single-match final.
2026-27 Champions League Qualified Teams and Pots
Pot 1 is made up of the title holders plus the eight highest-ranked qualifiers; the remaining pots are set by UEFA club coefficient once the qualifying play-offs finish, and are confirmed at the draw. Here are the clubs locked in so far.
| Seeding pot | Clubs qualified so far |
|---|---|
| Pot 1 | Paris Saint-Germain (holders) Bayern Munich Real Madrid Liverpool Inter Milan Manchester City Arsenal Barcelona Atletico Madrid |
| Pot 2 | Borussia Dortmund Roma Sporting CP Aston Villa Porto Manchester United Club Brugge Real Betis PSV Eindhoven |
| Pots 3-4 (seeding set at the draw) | Feyenoord Lille Napoli RB Leipzig Villarreal Shakhtar Donetsk Galatasaray Slavia Prague VfB Stuttgart plus the 9 qualifying play-off winners (7 Champions Path, 2 League Path), decided Aug 25-26 |
2026-27 Champions League League Phase Fixtures Grid
The complete grid, all 36 clubs and each club’s eight league-phase opponents (two from every pot, four home and four away), will be published here within minutes of the August 27 draw in Monaco. Bookmark this page and check back that afternoon.
2026-27 Champions League Key Dates
Every stage of the 2026-27 Champions League, from the league phase draw through the Madrid final, with dates confirmed via UEFA.com. Kickoff times and the full match list are confirmed after the August 27 draw.
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| League phase draw | Aug 27, 2026 (Monaco) |
| Matchday 1 | Sept 8-10, 2026 |
| Matchday 2 | Oct 13-14, 2026 |
| Matchday 3 | Oct 20-21, 2026 |
| Matchday 4 | Nov 3-4, 2026 |
| Matchday 5 | Nov 24-25, 2026 |
| Matchday 6 | Dec 8-9, 2026 |
| Matchday 7 | Jan 19-20, 2027 |
| Matchday 8 | Jan 27, 2027 |
| Knockout play-offs | Feb 16-17 & 23-24, 2027 |
| Round of 16 | Mar 9-10 & 16-17, 2027 |
| Quarter-finals | Apr 6-7 & 13-14, 2027 |
| Semi-finals | Apr 27-28 & May 4-5, 2027 |
| Final (Madrid) | June 5, 2027 |
The Road to the Madrid Final
The knockout play-offs are February 16-17 and 23-24, 2027, followed by the round of 16 in March, the quarter-finals in early April, and the semi-finals across April 27-28 and May 4-5. The 2027 Champions League final is a single match on June 5, 2027 at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, the home of Atletico Madrid.
How to Watch the Champions League in the US
In the US, UEFA Champions League matches stream on Paramount+, with select matches airing on CBS and CBS Sports Network and Spanish-language coverage on TUDN and ViX. Exact network and kickoff time for each match are confirmed in the days before each matchday, so bookmark this page and check back as the fixtures firm up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the 2026-27 Champions League format work?
The Champions League uses a 36-club league phase instead of groups. Each club plays 8 different opponents, two drawn from each of the four seeding pots, with four games at home and four away, all in one combined 36-team table. The top 8 advance directly to the round of 16. Clubs finishing 9th through 24th enter a two-legged knockout play-off round, and clubs finishing 25th through 36th are eliminated with no drop into the Europa League.
When is the 2026-27 Champions League draw?
The league phase draw is held on Thursday, August 27, 2026 in Monaco. It sets each club’s eight opponents. Matchday 1 follows on September 8-10, 2026, and the eight matchdays run through January 27, 2027.
Which teams have qualified for the 2026-27 Champions League?
29 clubs qualify directly through their domestic leagues, led by Pot 1 sides Paris Saint-Germain (holders), Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Inter, Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. The final 7 places come through the Champions Path and 2 through the League Path of the qualifying play-offs, completed on August 25-26.
When and where is the 2027 Champions League final?
The 2027 Champions League final is on Saturday, June 5, 2027 at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain.
How can I watch the Champions League in the US?
In the US, UEFA Champions League matches stream on Paramount+, with select matches on CBS and CBS Sports Network; Spanish-language coverage is on TUDN and ViX. Kickoff times and TV are confirmed closer to each matchday.
Is there a printable Champions League schedule?
Yes. A free printable league phase tracker is available above, with all 36 places and blank columns to fill in each club and its record through the eight matchdays.
More 2026-27 European Soccer
Explore more: the 2026-27 Champions League format and how-to-watch guide, the 2026-27 Europa League schedule and tracker, and our full set of printable soccer schedules and brackets at sportsbrackets.net.
