The UEFA Champions League 2025/26 season is almost here, and soccer fans all around the world are already buzzing with excitement. This tournament is often called the biggest club competition in the world, and for good reason: it brings together the best teams from Europe to battle for the most famous trophy in soccer.
If you’re a young soccer fan, or just someone trying to catch up with how the UEFA Champions League works now, don’t worry—I’ll break it all down in a fun and easy way. We’ll cover the draws, dates, teams, format, and even some cool soccer facts along the way.
What is the UEFA Champions League?
The UEFA Champions League is the top European competition for clubs. Every year, the strongest teams from national leagues like the English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and Bundesliga come together. Winning this tournament is the dream of every big club because it proves you are the best in Europe.
Fun Fact: Real Madrid holds the record with 15 UEFA Champions League titles, the most of any club.
Fun Combo Stat: Spain has produced the most winners, followed by England and Italy.
The Draw for the League Phase
This year’s UEFA Champions League draw will take place at 18:00 CET on August 28, 2025, in Monaco. The draw is a big event where fans, managers, and players all wait to find out who their teams will play against.
UEFA divides the 36 qualified teams into four pots, each with nine teams. Pot 1 has the UEFA Champions League holders plus other top-ranked sides. Pots 2, 3, and 4 are filled based on UEFA club coefficients (that’s basically a ranking system for how well clubs have done in Europe over the last few years).
Here’s how the draw works:
Each team will get 8 different opponents.
They’ll play 4 at home and 4 away.
Teams can’t face clubs from their own country in the league phase.
Each team can only be drawn against two teams maximum from the same nation.
When the draw is done, UEFA uses special software to finalize who plays who, and when. The official schedule with exact match dates will be out on August 30, 2025.
You can watch the draw live on UEFA.com.
Which Teams Have Qualified?
Now for the fun part—who’s in the tournament? These are the 36 teams (alphabetical order) already qualified for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League:
Ajax (Netherlands)
Arsenal (England)
Atalanta (Italy)
Athletic Club (Spain)
Atletico Madrid (Spain)
Barcelona (Spain)
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
Bayern Munich (Germany)
Bodo/Glimt (Norway)
Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
Chelsea (England)
Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany)
Galatasaray (Turkey)
Inter Milan (Italy)
Juventus (Italy)
Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan)
Liverpool (England)
Manchester City (England)
Marseille (France)
Monaco (France)
Napoli (Italy)
Newcastle (England)
Olympiacos (Greece)
Pafos (Cyprus)
Paris Saint-Germain (France)
PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
Real Madrid (Spain)
Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium)
Slavia Prague (Czech Republic)
Sporting CP (Portugal)
Tottenham Hotspur (England)
Villarreal (Spain)
That’s a power-packed lineup, featuring traditional giants like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, but also some underdogs like Pafos (Cyprus) and Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan).
Soccer Fact: This is the first time Kairat Almaty from Kazakhstan is playing in the UEFA Champions League league phase. Huge moment for them!
Soccer News: Arsenal are back as a strong contender after a few years away, and Newcastle are in for the second year running, showing English clubs are getting stronger.
Key Dates for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League
Here are the must-know dates for your calendar:
League Phase Draw: August 28, 2025
League Phase (1st Matchday): September 16–18, 2025
League Phase (Last Matchday): January 28, 2026
Knockout Playoff Draw: January 30, 2026
Knockout Playoffs: February 17–18 (first legs), February 24–25 (second legs)
Round of 16 Draw: February 27, 2026
Round of 16: March 10–11 (first legs), March 17–18 (second legs)
Quarter-finals: April 7–8 (first legs), April 14–15 (second legs)
Semi-finals: April 28–29 (first legs), May 5–6 (second legs)
Final: May 30, 2026
Where is the Final?
The 2026UEFA Champions League Final will be played at the Puskás Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30, 2026.
Capacity: 67,215 seats
This will be the first time Hungary hosts a UEFA Champions League final.
The Puskás Arena is named after Ferenc Puskás, one of the greatest soccer players of all time.
The UEFA Champions League Format Explained
The UEFA Champions League changed its format last year, and it’s very different from the old group stages. Let’s explain in simple steps:
League Phase (36 Teams):
Every team plays 8 games (against 8 different opponents).
Top 8 teams qualify directly for the Round of 16.
The bottom 8 teams are eliminated completely (no more dropping into Europa League like before).
Teams ranked 9th to 24th enter the Knockout Playoffs.
Knockout Playoffs (16 Teams):
These matches decide which 8 teams join the top 8 in the Round of 16.
Round of 16:
The 8 seeded teams (top 8 from league phase) face the 8 unseeded teams (playoff winners).
Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, and Final:
Traditional knockout format—win over two legs, except the final, which is a single game.
Why This Season Will Be Exciting
Big Comebacks: Juventus and Chelsea are back in the UEFA Champions League after missing out last year.
Underdog Dreams: Clubs like Bodo/Glimt, Pafos, and Kairat Almaty could shock the giants.
Star Power: We’ll see world-class players like Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi (PSG), and Jude Bellingham lighting up the tournament.
Records to Watch: Can Real Madrid win their 16th title? Or will Manchester City try to defend their crown again?
QuickUEFA Champions League Combos (Fun Facts)
Combo 1: Spain has 5 teams (Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico, Villarreal, Athletic Club).
Combo 2: England has 6 teams—more than any other nation (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Newcastle, Tottenham).
Combo 3: Germany sends 4 powerhouses (Bayern, Dortmund, Leverkusen, Frankfurt).
Combo 4: Italy also has 4 giants (Inter, Juventus, Napoli, Atalanta).
Final Thoughts
The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League promises to be another thrilling season of goals, drama, upsets, and magic moments. Whether you’re rooting for the underdogs or one of the big clubs, there will be plenty to enjoy from September all the way to the grand final in May 2026 at the Puskás Arena.
So mark your calendars, keep your eyes on UEFA.com for the draw, and get ready for the most exciting soccer competition in the world!