For the first time, six Premier League teams are in the pots for the Champions League draw taking place today. Here is everything you need to know:
For the first time, six Premier League teams are in the pots for the Champions League draw taking place today. Here is everything you need to know:
When is the Champions League draw?
The draw for the second season of the competition’s 36-team single league format is today (Aug 28) at 5pm (BST) in Monaco.
What is the “Swiss model”?
The Swiss model was introduced last season with a boast from Uefa that it would guarantee more meaningful games and far fewer dead-rubber fixtures. Instead of groups, there is now just one league prior to the latter stages. Fixtures are decided by teams being split into four pots of nine placed in specific pots based on their own Uefa coefficient.
No team is able to face a team from its own country until the knockout stages, and can play a maximum of two matches against teams from the same country.
How does it work?
The draw is made up of 27 teams that qualified via league positions, the winners of last season’s Champions League and Europa League, and the seven teams that progressed out of qualifying.
The 36 participating teams will be split into four pots based on their individual coefficient ranking, with PSG, as title-holders, the automatic top seed in pot one. One physical ball will be drawn before the automated software – already in use last year – draws eight opponents for them.
How to watch on TV and streaming?
The draw will be broadcast by Uefa and TNT Sports 1 who will both offer free live streaming on their respective websites and YouTube channels.
Which UK teams are in for 2025/26?
No Scottish team made it through qualifying but there will be a bumper six English teams this year, thanks to Tottenham Hostpur’s Europa League triumph and the Premier League’s favourable coefficient ranking. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United are the other English sides in the draw.
When are the fixtures?
The first matchweek takes place between September 16 and 18, and league fixtures continue every two or three weeks until January 28.
The top eight teams in the 36-strong league go straight through to the round of 16 while the teams finishing in places nine to 16 play those finishing from 17th to 24th in a two-leg knockout round on February 17/18 and 24/25 to go through to the last 16. The bottom 12 teams are eliminated at the end of the league phase.
The round of 16 is held on March 10/11 and 17/18, the quarter-finals on April 7/8 and 14/15 and the semi-finals on April 28/29 and May 5/6.
Uefa will finalise and publish the league phase fixture list with match dates and kick-off times no later than Saturday, August 30.
When is the final?
The Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, which holds 67,000, hosts the final on May 30 2026. The stadium also hosted the Europa League final in 2023, won by Sevilla, but this will be the first time that the final of Europe’s premier club competition will be held in Hungary.
Who is in which pot?
Pot one: Paris St-Germain (holders), Real Madrid, Manchester City,Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund.
Pot two:Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen Atlético Madrid, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, + two more teams yet to be decided.
Pot three: Tottenham (Europa League winners), PSV Eindhoven, Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Marseille and Bodo/Glimt.
Pot four: Monaco, Galatasaray, Union Saint-Gilloise, Athletic Bilbao, Newcastle, Kairat, Pafos + two teams yet to be decided.
Who are favourites to win?
PSG are 5/1 to defend their title, followed in the betting markets by Liverpool at 13/2, Barcelona at 7/1, Real Madrid 13/2, Arsenal 8/1 and Manchester City on 9/1. As for the other three English clubs, Chelsea are rated 14/1 chances, Newcastle 18/1 and Tottenham 33/1.
Category: General Sports
