Champions League football returns to Stamford Bridge in the 2025/26 campaign after Chelsea clinched a top-five finish on the final day of the Premier League season. Heading to Nottingham Forest for a huge showdown with a place in the Champions League up for grabs, the Blues prevailed 1-0 at the City Ground following Levi Colwill's goal.
The victory meant Chelsea finished the term in fourth position, three points ahead of Aston Villa in sixth who missed out on UEFA's premier competition on goal difference. Going without European football in 2023/24 and playing in the Conference League this season with a final showdown against Real Betis on the calendar for Wednesday evening, a return to Europe's top table is most welcome for all connected with the club.
The Champions League does have a different look about it since Chelsea's last involvement in the competition. Previously operating with eight groups of four prior to the knockout phase commencing, the Champions League now features a 36-team league table that sees the top eight advance to the round of 16 and the sides between ninth and 24th contesting the knockout phase play-offs.
All teams play eight league phase games and the majority of the draw is completed by computer due to the complex nature of it. As ever, clubs will be split into four pots but this time each side is drawn against two teams from each of the pots to determine their eight league fixtures.
Despite not featuring in the Champions League since the 2022/23 season, the Blues will find themselves in Pot 1 of the draw come Thursday, August 28. The Champions League holders and the eight clubs with the best performance in Europe over the past five seasons all feature in Pot 1.
Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, PSG, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona are the eight teams that join Chelsea in Pot 1. Teams cannot play sides from their own domestic league in the league phase of the competition, meaning Chelsea cannot initially be paired against Manchester City and Liverpool from the top pot.
Chelsea will instead play two of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona from Pot 1, one of which being a home fixture and the other away. In Pot 2, Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus and Eintracht Frankfurt will all feature.
Benfica, Club Brugge, Rangers and Shakhtar Donetsk are other possible options in Pot 2 providing they come through qualifying. Tottenham are on course to be in Pot 3 but there is a chance they move up a pot, with Newcastle United set to be in Pot 4.
As things stand right now, 29 teams have already secured a place in next season's Champions League league phase. The final seven teams will be determined by who progresses through the play-off round in August.
Here are how the 2025/26 Champions League pots look at present:
Pot 1: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, PSG, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona.
Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, Benfica (dependent on qualifying), Club Brugge (dependent on qualifying), Rangers (dependent on qualifying), Shakhtar Donetsk (dependent on qualifying).
Pot 2/3: Tottenham, PSV.
Pot 3: Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Marseille.
Pot 4: AS Monaco, Galatasaray, Union SG, Athletic Club. Newcastle United.
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Chelsea home kit