Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterThe Champions League is set to get under way on Tuesday, September 8 - but first UEFA must take care of the pretty important matter of the draw for the league phase.36 teams will take part in the first proper round of the competition, with the teams that have made it through the qualifying play-offs joining the sides that have already sealed an automatic place.Here's what you need to know about how the Champions League draw will work when it takes place on Thursday, August 27 at 5pm UK time.Everything you need to know about the Champions League drawYou're probably familiar with the format by now, but in case you need a reminder...36 teams will compete in one massive league table, with each side drawn to play against eight other teams.Once all the games are played, the top eight sides advance straight through to the round of 16, while the teams ranked between 9th and 24th playing each other in a knockout phase play-off. The bottom 12 sides are eliminated. You may like Where is the Champions League final? Everything you need to know How to watch the Champions League 2025/2026: TV coverage, live streams for final Carabao Cup Round Two draw: Everything you need to know The question, then, is how each side's eight games are decided.The 36 teams are divided into four pots of nine teams each, based on their UEFA coefficient (essentially a score based on how good the team has been over the past few years, mainly based around European performance).Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Every side will be randomly drawn into two fixtures from each of the four pots, with the only restriction being that sides from the same country cannot play against one another in the league phase.The pots are as follows, with the TBD places set to be filled by the play-off winners. Slavia Prague's pot will depend on which sides make it through the play-offs.Swipe to scroll horizontallyPot 1Pot 2Pot 3Pot 4PSGBorussia DortmundFeyenoordStuttgartBayern MunichRomaLilleComoReal MadridSportingNapoliLensLiverpoolAston VillaRB LeipzigSlavia Prague or TBDInterPortoVillarrealTBD (Levski Sofa or AEK)Manchester CityManchester UnitedShakhtarTBD (Slovan Bratislava or Celje)ArsenalClub BruggeGalatasarayTBD (Hapoel Be'er-Sheva or Sabah)BarcelonaReal BetisSlavia Prague or TBDTBDAtletico MadridPSVTBD (Fenerbahce or Lyon)TBDSo, for example (and purely for the sake of argument), Liverpool could be randomly drawn to play Real Madrid and Inter from Pot 1, Club Brugge and Sporting from Pot 2, Feyenoord and Shakhtar from Pot 3, and Como and Lens from Pot 4. What to read next How to watch Masters European Champions 2026 How to watch Champions League Final 2026 for FREE Non English club to play their home Champions League games in London this season Starting with the pot 1 sides and working down through them, balls will be drawn purely to decide the order in which the sides get their draw.UEFA's computer will then give that side all eight fixtures at once. They will then move onto the next team and do the same, and then carry on that way until all 36 teams know all eight of their games.The exact dates for each game are then determined in the days following the draw.The play-off games are as follows, with the winner of each two-legged tie qualifying for the league phase:Levski Sofia vs AEK AthensCeltic vs LASKDinamo Zagreb vs VikingSlovan Bratislava vs CeljeHapoel Be'er Sheva vs SabahFenerbahce vs LyonNEC vs Bodo/GlimtAtletico Madrid's Estadio Metropolitano will host the 2027 Champions League final at the end of the campaign.TOPICSLiverpoolManchester CityManchester UnitedAston VillaArsenalChampions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueSteven ChickenSocial Links NavigationSteven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
