MONACO (BN24) — The draw for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League phase took place Thursday in Monaco, marking the start of the competition’s second season under its expanded format. This edition features a significant overhaul, with 36 clubs competing in a single league table rather than the traditional group stage setup.
Under the new structure, each team will play eight matches—four at home and four away—against opponents drawn from four seeding pots. Each club faces two rivals from each pot, ensuring a diverse range of competitors while adhering to key restrictions: clubs from the same country cannot be drawn against each other, and no team can have more than two opponents from any single national association.
The league phase will determine the path forward in the tournament. The top eight teams in the final standings will advance directly to the round of 16. Teams finishing between 9th and 24th will enter a two-legged knockout playoff to vie for the remaining spots in the knockout rounds. Clubs ranked 25th through 36th will be eliminated from European competition for the season.
A total of 29 clubs earned direct qualification based on their domestic league performance, while seven additional spots were secured through the play-off round.
The top-seeded teams in Pot 1 include
European giants Paris Saint-Germain,
Real Madrid,
Manchester City,
Bayern Munich,
Liverpool,
Inter Milan,
Chelsea,
Borussia Dortmund,
and Barcelona.
Pot 2 features prominent clubs such as
Arsenal,
Bayer Leverkusen,
Atlético Madrid,
Benfica,
Atalanta,
Villarreal,
Juventus,
Eintracht Frankfurt,
and Club Brugge.
Pot 3 comprises
Tottenham,
PSV Eindhoven,
Ajax,
Napoli,
Sporting CP,
Olympiacos,
Slavia Prague,
Bodø/Glimt,
and Marseille.
The lowest-seeded Pot 4 contains
Copenhagen,
Monaco,
Galatasaray,
Union Saint-Gilloise,
Qarabag,
Athletic Club,
Newcastle United,
Pafos,
and Kairat Almaty.
Among Pot 1 fixtures, Real Madrid will host Manchester City, Juventus, Marseille, and Monaco, while playing away games against Liverpool, Benfica, Olympiacos, and Kairat Almaty. Manchester City’s home matches include Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli, and Galatasaray, with away games against Real Madrid, Villarreal, Bodø/Glimt, and Monaco.
Bayern Munich’s slate features home games versus Chelsea, Club Brugge, Sporting CP, and Union Saint-Gilloise, and away trips to face Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven, and Pafos. Liverpool will welcome Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, PSV Eindhoven, and Qarabağ at home, while traveling to play Inter Milan, Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille, and Galatasaray.
Paris Saint-Germain will host Bayern Munich, Atalanta, Tottenham, and Newcastle, and play away fixtures against Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Sporting CP, and Athletic Club. Inter Milan’s schedule includes home games versus Liverpool, Arsenal, Slavia Prague, and Kairat Almaty, and away matches against Borussia Dortmund, Atlético Madrid, Ajax, and Union Saint-Gilloise.
Chelsea will face Barcelona, Benfica, Ajax, and Pafos at home, while visiting Bayern Munich, Atalanta, Napoli, and Qarabağ. Borussia Dortmund hosts Inter Milan, Villarreal, Bodø/Glimt, and Athletic Club, with away games at Manchester City, Juventus, Tottenham, and Copenhagen. Barcelona rounds out Pot 1 with home matches against Paris Saint-Germain, Eintracht Frankfurt, Olympiacos, and Copenhagen, and away contests versus Chelsea, Club Brugge, Slavia Prague, and Newcastle.
This fresh format is designed to increase competition and excitement, offering fans a broader array of high-stakes fixtures throughout the league phase. The UEFA Champions League 2025/26 season promises thrilling matchups as Europe’s elite clubs battle for continental glory.
Credit: Sky Sport
