Need to know
There are five Premier League clubs waiting to discover their opponents in the league phase of the 2026/27 Champions League
The Champions League trophy on display
The Champions League draw is almost upon us(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
Here's everything you need to know ahead of the Champions League draw:
When is the Champions League draw? The Champions League draw will take place on Thursday at 6pm CET (5pm UK time) in Monaco. It will feature the 29 teams who qualified automatically for the competition's league phase, along with seven teams who won their play-offs on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Why the draw has changed: Since the 2024/25 season, the Champions League has moved to a Swiss-style system rather than the previous group stage. This means we have moved on from a situation where teams face just three different opponents, home and away, with each of the 36 competitors now facing eight different teams during this phase of the competition. As UEFA explains: "If the old draw concept for the group stage were to be applied to the new league phase format, nearly 1,000 balls would be required, with at least 36 bowls on stage, resulting in an unbearably lengthy draw."
How is the draw conducted? Each of the 36 teams has a physical ball assigned, but when a team is drawn, a computer will assign them opponents for their eight matches. The outcome will be displayed on screen, so those watching at home and those in person in Monaco can see it. The software will also determine which team will have home advantage for the matches in question.
Which fixtures are banned? When UEFA confirmed the move to the league phase from the old group stage, it was written into the rules that the same exact fixture can't be played three years in a row with the same team at home. This impacts two Premier League clubs, with Inter Milan vs Arsenal and Liverpool vs Real Madrid both unable to take place for a third straight year. However, Arsenal are still permitted to play Inter at home, and Liverpool are permitted to head to the Bernabeu.
Country rules also apply: Teams cannot play against another side from the same country in the league phase, and they can only face two teams at most from one country. The software used in the draw ensures all these rules are followed automatically, and a deadlock situation is avoided. Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool are the five Premier League teams involved, and cannot face one another until later in the competition. There hasn't been an all-English match-up in the Champions League since the 2021 final, when Chelsea beat Manchester City.
When will the matches take place? The first league phase matches are due to take place on September 8, with the opening round of games spread across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday that week. There are six rounds of fixtures taking place before the turn of the year, with the final two gameweeks in January. The last of those, on January 27, involves 18 matches taking place at the exact same time as the final qualifiers for the knockout stages are determined.
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