Champions League

The 2025–26 UEFA Champions League marks the 71st edition of Europe's premier club football competition and the second season under its revamped format. This season introduces several key changes aimed at enhancing competitiveness and fairness, while maintaining the tournament's rich tradition and global appeal.

New Format and Structure

Continuing from the previous season, the Champions League features a 36-team league phase, replacing the traditional group stage. Each team plays eight matches against different opponents—four at home and four away—ensuring a diverse and balanced competition. Teams from the same national association do not face each other in this phase. The top eight teams automatically advance to the Round of 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th enter a two-legged playoff to secure the remaining eight spots.

Enhanced Home Advantage

A significant change this season is the introduction of home advantage for higher-ranked teams in the knockout stages. Starting from the Round of 16, the top eight teams from the league phase will host the second leg of their knockout ties. This adjustment addresses previous concerns about the lack of tangible benefits for top-performing teams in the league phase and aims to reward consistent performance.

Key Dates and Schedule

The competition commenced with the qualifying rounds on 8 July 2025 and will culminate in the final on 30 May 2026 at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary. The league phase runs from 16 September 2025 to 28 January 2026. Subsequent knockout rounds are scheduled as follows: playoffs in February, Round of 16 in March, quarter-finals in April, and semi-finals in late April and early May.

Qualified Teams

A diverse array of clubs from across Europe have qualified for this season's competition. From the Premier League, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur have secured their spots. Serie A representatives include Napoli, Inter Milan, Atalanta, and Juventus. La Liga sees Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, and Villarreal participating. Other notable entrants include Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Ajax, and Galatasaray, among others.

Looking Ahead

The 2025–26 UEFA Champions League promises a season of thrilling matches, strategic battles, and unforgettable moments. With its refined format and commitment to rewarding excellence, the tournament continues to captivate football fans worldwide, setting the stage for another historic chapter in European club football.