Champions League, playoffs set to begin: the complete guide and qualified teams

The start of the new season is approaching, and so is the beginning of the new edition of the UEFA Champions League. Following the debut of the new format in 2024/25, Europe’s premier competition will once again kick off this year under the rules introduced last season, with a League Phase featuring 36 teams.

At the moment, 29 teams have already qualified for the League Phase of the UEFA Champions League: Inter secured their place in the first phase of the competition thanks to their league position in the 2024/25 season. The seven remaining spots will be decided through the playoffs, which kick off on Tuesday 19 August.

Below is the list of teams that have already qualified, along with the schedule for the playoff matches:

INTER (ITA) Ajax (NED) Arsenal (ENG) Atalanta (ITA) Athletic Club Bilbao (ESP) Atletico Madrid (ESP) Borussia Dortmund (GER) Barcelona (ESP) Bayern Munchen (GER) Chelsea (ENG) Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) Galatasaray (TUR) Juventus (ITA) Leverkusen (GER) Liverpool (ENG) Manchester City (ENG) Olympique de Marseille (FRA) Monaco (FRA) Napoli (ITA) Newcastle (ENG) Olympiacos (GRE) Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) PSV Eindhoven (NED) Real Madrid (ESP) Slavia Praha (CZE) Sporting CP(POR) Tottenham (ENG) Union SG (BEL) Villarreal (ESP)

PLAYOFFS

Tuesday 19 August, 21:00 CEST: Ferencvaros (HUN) vs. Qarabag (AZE) Crvena Zvezda (SRB) vs. Pafos (CYP) Rangers (SCO) vs. Club Brugge (BEL)

Wednesday 20 August, 21:00 CEST: Basel (SUI) vs. Copenhagen (DEN) Bodø/Glimt (NOR) vs. Sturm Graz (AUT) Celtic (SCO) vs. Kairat Almaty (KAZ) Fenerbahce (TUR) vs. Benfica (POR)

Tuesday 26 August: Kairat Almaty (KAZ) vs. Celtic (SCO), 18:45 CEST Sturm Graz (AUT) vs. Bodø/Glimt (NOR), 21:00 CEST Pafos (CYP) vs. Crvena Zvezda (SRB), 21:00 CEST

Wednesday 27 August Qarabag (AZE) vs. Ferencvaros (HUN), 18:45 CEST Copenhagen (DEN) vs. Basel (SUI), 21:00 CEST Club Brugge (BEL) vs. Rangers (SCO), 21:00 CEST Benfica (POR) vs. Fenerbahce (TUR), 21:00 CEST

LEAGUE PHASE

Each team will play eight matches against eight different opponents (four at home and four away). The results form a single league table encompassing all 36 teams. The clubs ranked one to eight at the end of the League Phase qualify for the round of 16. The clubs ranked nine to 24 qualify for the knockout phase play-offs. The clubs ranked 25 to 36 are eliminated.

THE DATES

The draw for the League Phase will be held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Thursday 28 August at 18:00 CEST.

The League Phase will kick off on 16 September, while the eighth and final matchday will take place on 28 January 2026. Here are all the dates for the League Phase of the 2025/26 UEFA 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

After the knockout phase playoffs, drawn on 30 January 2026 and played on 17-18 February (first leg) and 24-25 February (second leg), the final draw will be held on 27 February 2026 to determine the round of 16 pairings as well as the rest of the knockout bracket.

As for the final stages of the tournament, the round of 16 will be played on 10-11 March (first leg) and 17-18 March (second leg), while the quarter-finals are scheduled for 7-8 April and 14-15 April. The semi-finals will take place on 28-29 April (first leg) and 5-6 May (second leg).

The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League final will be played on Saturday 30 May at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest.