Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham and Newcastle United will learn their fate in the Champions League tomorrow as the group stage draw takes place - here's all you need to know
15:54, 27 Aug 2025Updated 15:57, 27 Aug 2025
Six English teams will compete for the Champions League
Six English teams will compete for the Champions League
Liverpool and Arsenal's Champions League journeys both ended in disappointment last season at the hands of eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Arne Slot's Premier League champions were eliminated in the round of 16, while Mikel Arteta's Gunners made it to the semi-final stage, only to also succumb to the free-flowing French outfit. Both managers will be hoping for better fortunes this time around, along with the bosses of the four English teams that will join them in the 2025/26 edition of the tournament.
Manchester City qualified for the competition by virtue of a third-placed Premier League finish, with Chelsea and Newcastle United gaining entry to Europe's top table as a result of finishing fourth and fifth respectively. Meanwhile, Tottenham qualified via winning the Europa League at the expense of fallen giants Manchester United.
They won't have to wait long to find out their opponents in this season's competition as the draw is scheduled for 5pm on Thursday, August 28. All teams participating in the league phase will play a total of eight matches (four home, four away) as they aim to secure a spot in the knockout stage.
The English sides will be matched against two teams from each of the four pots, thus determining their eight league phase matches. The exact dates and times of those matches are likely to be confirmed a day or two after the draw, as was the case last year.
NYON, SWITZERLAND - JUNE 17: A view of the Champions League trophy during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 First Qualifying Round Draw at the UEFA Headquarters, The House of the European Football, on June 17, 2025 in Nyon, Switzerland (Photo by Kristian Skeie - UEFA)
Liverpool will be hoping to win a seventh European Cup, Chelsea a third and Manchester City a second, as Arsenal, Newcastle and Tottenham bid to win the trophy for the first time(Image: Kristian Skeie - UEFA)
Ahead of Thursday's draw, there are only a few spots left in the 36-team league phase table, but these will be decided by the winners of the play-off round ties that conclude on Wednesday evening. So, who exactly could the English sides face in the draw and when will the matches take place? Here's all you need to know, courtesy of Football London.
Champions League play-off round ties
Champions Path:
Qarabag (3) vs Ferencvaros (1).
Pafos vs Red Star Belgrade (Pafos win 3-2 on aggregate).
Sturm Graz vs Bodo/Glimt (Bodo/Glimt win 6-2 on aggregate).
Kairat vs Celtic (Kairat win 3-2 on penalties after 0-0 aggregate scoreline).
Copenhagen (1) vs Basel (1).
League Path:
Benfica (0) vs Fenerbahce (0).
Club Brugge (3) vs Rangers (1).
Teams already qualified and likely pots
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.
Pot 2/3: Tottenham, PSV.
Pot 3: Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Marseille, Bodo/Glimt.
Pot 4: AS Monaco, Galatasaray, Union SG, Athletic Club, Newcastle United, Pafos, Kairat.
Champions League 2025/26 schedule
League phase
Matchday 1: 16-18 September.
Matchday 2: 30 September-1 October.
Matchday 3: 21-22 October.
Matchday 4: 4-5 November.
Matchday 5: 25-26 November.
Matchday 6: 9-10 December.
Matchday 7: 20-21 January.
Matchday 8: 28 January.
Pep Guardiola kisses the Champions League trophy after Manchester City beat Inter Milan in the 2023 final in Istanbul
Pep Guardiola kisses the Champions League trophy after Manchester City beat Inter Milan in the 2023 final in Istanbul(Image: PA Archive)
Knockout phase play-offs
First leg: 17-18 February.
Second leg: 24-25 February.
Round of 16
First leg: 10-11 March.
Second leg: 17-18 March.
Quarter-finals
First leg: 7-8 April.
Second leg: 14-15 April.
Semi-finals
First leg: 28-29 April.
Second leg: 5-6 May.
Final
Saturday, May 30, 2026 at Puskas Arena, Budapest.
Champions League draw dates.
League phase: 28 August.
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Knockout phase play-offs: 30 January.
Round of 16/quarter-finals/semi-finals/final: 27 February.