RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Champions League returns next month, and this Thursday sees the league phase draw confirmed with a ceremony in Monaco.
Three months on from PSG retaining their title on penalties against Arsenal in Budapest, this season’s competition takes shape, as each of the 36 teams discovers their eight league phase matches.
Arsenal, Manchester City , Manchester United , Aston Villa and Liverpool are the English teams involved, with Celtic hoping to make it six British teams by winning their play-off tie against LASK. They won the first leg 3-0.
Other big-hitters in pot one include PSG, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Champions League league phase draw.
When is the Champions League league phase draw?
The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase draw starts at 5pm BST (12pm ET) on Thursday, 27 August.
The draw will arrange the eight matches each team contests in the 36-team first phase – facing two teams from pots one, two, three and four. Half of the matches will be at home, the other half away.
Where can I watch the Champions League draw?
The draw will be broadcast on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max in the United Kingdom, the joint host broadcasters in the UK of the Champions League alongside Prime Video.
Champions League draw pots in full
Pot 1
PSG
Bayern Munich
Real Madrid
Liverpool
Inter Milan
Manchester City
Arsenal
Barcelona
Atletico Madrid
Pot 2
Aston Villa
Manchester United
Borussia Dortmund
Roma
Sporting
Porto
Club Brugge
PSV Eindhoven
Real Betis
Pot 3
Feyenoord
Lille
Napoli
RB Leipzig
Villarreal
Shakhtar Donetsk
Galatasaray
Winner of Fenerbahce vs Lyon
Pot 3 or 4
Winner of NEC Nijmegen vs Bodo/Glimt
Winner of Dinamo Zagreb vs Viking
Winner of Celtic vs LASK
Slavia Prague
Pot 4
Winner of Slovan Bratislava vs Celje
VfB Stuttgart
Winner of Levski Sofia vs AEK Athens
Como
Lens
Winner of Hapoel Be'er Sheva vs Sabah
How does the Champions League league phase work?
The top eight all automatically qualify for the last-16, while teams positioned ninth to 24th place qualify for the knockout-phase play-off. Teams finishing between ninth and 16th will be seeded and will host the second leg.
Teams who finish the league phase 25th or lower are out and do not drop into the Europa League.
PSG are targeting a third consecutive Champions League title (AP)
Champions League dates and schedule
Matchday 1: September 8-10
Matchday 2: October 13/14
Matchday 3: October 20/21
Matchday 4: November 3/4
Matchday 5: November 24/25
Matchday 6: December 8/9
Matchday 7: January 19/20
Matchday 8: January 27
Knockout phase play-offs: February 16/17 and 23/24
Round of 16: March 9/10 and 16/17
Quarter-finals : April 6/7 and 13/14
Semi-finals : April 27/28 and May 4/5
Final: June 5 (Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid)
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