- The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League moved to a 36-team league format.
- The top eight teams advanced directly to the Round of 16.
- Clubs placed ninth to 24th battled in knockout play-offs for the remaining slots.
- The final will be played on May 30, 2026, in Budapest, Hungary.
- Europe’s biggest teams are now preparing for the decisive knockout stage.
The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League season has brought fresh energy to Europe’s top club competition.
For the second year running, the tournament is being played under the new 36-team league system. Instead of the old group stage format, every club faced eight different opponents during the league phase.
The draw for this stage was conducted on August 28 in Monaco. Clubs were grouped into four pots based on UEFA rankings, with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain placed in Pot 1 automatically.
Each team was drawn manually before the software assigned their eight opponents — two from each pot. Clubs were not allowed to face teams from their own country and could only meet a maximum of two sides from the same nation.
After the league phase concluded, the top eight teams booked automatic places in the Round of 16.
Those who secured direct qualification are:
Arsenal
Bayern Munich
Liverpool
Tottenham Hotspur
Barcelona
Chelsea
Sporting CP
Manchester City
These sides avoided the extra play-off round and will enter the knockouts fresh.
Teams that finished between ninth and 24th were forced into a two-legged knockout play-off, with the draw held on January 30.
The play-offs delivered thrilling results. Among the standout outcomes:
Real Madrid defeated Benfica 3–1.
Bodo/Glimt stunned Inter Milan 5–2 on aggregate.
PSG edged Monaco 5–4 in a tight French contest.
Newcastle United cruised past Qarabag 9–3.
Galatasaray overcame Juventus 7–5.
Atletico Madrid beat Club Brugge 7–4.
Atalanta eliminated Borussia Dortmund 4–3.
Bayer Leverkusen saw off Olympiacos 2–0.
These eight winners joined the top seeds to complete the Round of 16 lineup.
The final draw for the Round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals is set for February 27 and will be streamed live on UEFA’s official platforms.
Some of the possible match-ups include:
Arsenal or Bayern Munich vs Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen
Liverpool or Tottenham vs Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray
Barcelona or Chelsea vs PSG or Newcastle
Sporting CP or Manchester City vs Bodo/Glimt or Real Madrid
Fans can expect heavyweight encounters whichever way the draw falls.
The 2025/26 Champions League final will take place on May 30, 2026, at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
The 67,215-seat stadium will host a Champions League final for the first time, marking a major milestone for Hungary.
Under the new system, the bottom eight teams in the league phase were eliminated, with no drop into the Europa League. From the Round of 16 onward, the competition follows the traditional knockout bracket format.
With the route to Budapest now confirmed, Europe’s biggest clubs are entering the most important stretch of the campaign. The pressure is rising, and only one team will lift the trophy at the end of what has already been a dramatic season.
