The draw for the Champions League takes place next week as Newcastle United and five Premier League rivals wait to discover their opponents
MUNICH, GERMANY - MAY 28: The Champions League trophy ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final 2025 between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Internazionale Milano at on May 28, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alex Pantling - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
The Champions League trophy(Image: Alex Pantling - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Newcastle United will be looking forward to rejoining the Champions League this season. In next week's draw they are set to discover their opponents for the initial league phase - a different format from the last time they took part.
Eddie Howe's side last secured their place in Europe's elite competition for the 2023/24 campaign, which was the final time the traditional group stage format was utilised. UEFA then introduced revolutionary changes to the Champions League and the prize money on offer ahead of last season.
Newcastle missed out having not managed to qualify for European competition but they have not had to wait long to share in the spoils. A fifth-place finish in last season's Premier League has granted them entry for the second time in three seasons.
Fifth place was enough in the end because UEFA rewarded English sides for their collective performance in last season's European competitions. Therefore the Magpies will enter in what is officially classed as a European Performance Spot alongside the Premier League's top-four Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur.
Here's everything you need to know about next week's league phase draw.
When is it taking place?
This year's league phase draw for the Champions League will take place in Monaco on Thursday, August 28, at 5pm BST. It will follow the same procedure as last year.
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What is that procedure?
It used to be that teams were placed into one of eight groups made up of four teams. They would play their three opponents home and away, equalling six matches.
Now their are 36 teams involved and they are all placed into what is known as a 'Swiss model' table. In the upcoming draw the Magpies will have eight opponents selected who they will play once each, with half of those matches at home and the other half away.
To determine the eight different opponents, the teams will initially be ranked in four seeding pots. Each team will then be drawn to play two opponents from each of these pots, playing one match against a team from each pot at home, and one away.
So 36 participating teams will be split into four pots based on their individual coefficient ranking with the Champions League titleholder Paris Saint-Germain the top seed in Pot 1.
Starting with Pot 1, one physical ball will be drawn before the automated software, which was tried and tested last season, draws eight opponents for them.
How does that work?
Two teams are selected from each of the four pots, with one home and one away match against teams from each pot drawn by the software. No teams from the same association can be drawn against each other with teams facing no more than two opponents from another association. The procedure will be repeated for all teams until all pairings have been drawn.
What pot are Newcastle in?
UEFA are yet to fully confirm the place of each qualified team in the pots for the draw. They do so based on the UEFA club coefficient rankings system, which are based on results in European competition across the last five seasons.
The Magpies' score is 18.167, which places them 85th in the table. For comparison leaders Real Madrid have a score of 117.500.
When will we know the exact fixture dates and times?
The Champions League fixture list with match dates and kick-off times is expected to be communicated no later than Saturday, August 30.
When are the league phase matches?
Matchday 1: 16–18 September 2025Matchday 2: 30 September–1 October 2025Matchday 3: 21/22 October 2025Matchday 4: 4/5 November 2025Matchday 5: 25/26 November 2025Matchday 6: 9/10 December 2025Matchday 7: 20/21 January 2026Matchday 8: 28 January 2026
When are the knockout games?
Knockout phase play-offs: 17/18 & 24/25 February 2026Round of 16: 10/11 & 17/18 March 2026Quarter-finals: 7/8 & 14/15 April 2026Semi-finals: 28/29 April & 5/6 May 2026Final: 30 May 2026
Where is the Champions League final being played?
The Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, will provide the stage for the Champions League final on May 30, 2026. This will be the first time that the final of Europe's elite club competition will be held in Hungary.
How much prize money will clubs make?
Ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, UEFA confirmed the allocation of prize money for the newly-formatted Champions League up until the 2026/27 campaign.
So far Newcastle and their Premier League rivals would have made £15.7m just by reaching the league phase.
For every win in the league phase this season clubs get £1.77m and for every draw £590,000. Reaching the play-off round brings a further £843,000 and finishing in the top eight in the league would net a club £1.7m.
Teams are also awarded £233,000 multiplied by how high they finish in the final league standings. For example Liverpool finished top last season therefore secured that sum multiplied by 36, which was £8.4m. Second-placed Barcelona got £8.15m, third-placed Arsenal got £7.9m and so on.
Then, a quarter-final finish brings £9.27m, the quarter-finals £10.53m and the semi-finals £12.64m. If you were to reach the final then the runners-up make £15.59m whilst the winner bags £21.07m.
In comparison, Newcastle earned a reported £28.4m when they were eliminated at the group stages the last time they were in the Champions League.