The 71st season of Europe’s premier club competition, the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League, kicks off in September 2025, and the final will be played in Budapest, Hungary, at the Puskás Aréna on 30 May 2026. Here is everything you need to know about the new season of UEFA Champions League, with detailed information on the clubs, fixtures, and more.
Building on last season’s innovations, this campaign promises thrilling matchups, expanded television audiences, and fresh narratives, rivalries renewed, emergent powers challenging the giants, and a race for group-stage supremacy that never loses its drama.
2025-26 UEFA Champions League is the 71st season of Europe’s elite club competition and It’s the 34th edition since it was renamed the UEFA Champions League.
2025-26 UEFA Champions League Format, Key dates, Qualified Teams, and Fixtures (UCL)
New Format and Key Dates of UCL
- League Phase (Swiss Model): For the second year running, 2025-26 UEFA Champions League season retains its 36-team single-league “Swiss model.” Each club plays eight different opponents (four home, four away).
- 36 teams in the league phase.
- Each team plays eight matches against eight different opponents: 4 at home, 4 away.
- In the knock-out stages, home advantage in the second leg is given to teams who had a higher ranking in the league phase. Also, if a lower-seeded team knocks out a higher one, they inherit that higher seeding for future rounds (quarters/semis)
Matchdays
- September 17–18, 2025: Matchday 1
- October 1–2, 2025: Matchday 2
- October 22–23, 2025: Matchday 3
- November 5–6, 2025: Matchday 4
- November 26–27, 2025: Matchday 5
- December 10–11, 2025: Matchday 6
Knockout Playoffs
- Round of 16: February 17–18 & March 10–11, 2026
- Quarterfinals: April 7–8 & 14–15, 2026
- Semifinals: April 28–29 & May 5–6, 2026
Final
- May 30, 2026, Puskas Arena, Budapest, Hungary
2025-26 UEFA Champions League qualified teams
A total of 36 teams enter directly into the UCL league phase:
- Champions Path (4 spots): League winners from lower-ranked associations (ranks 11–16).
- League Path (32 spots): Top teams from the top six associations by UEFA coefficient:
- England: Manchester City (holders), Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle United
- Spain: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Real Sociedad
- Germany: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen
- Italy: Juventus, Inter Milan, Napoli, AC Milan
- France: Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille
- Portugal: Benfica, Porto
Additionally, four teams progress from preliminary qualifying rounds in July–August 2025.
UCL Pre-Season Storylines
- Can Atlético Break the Duopoly? Atlético Madrid’s surprising run to the semis in 2024-25 highlighted Diego Simeone’s tactical mastery. Their attacking recruits this summer—Álvaro Morata’s return and rising star Theo Hernández—make them genuine contenders to disrupt Madrid-Barça dominance.
- Bayern’s Transition: After lifting the trophy in 2023-24, Bayern Munich underwent a summer overhaul. New manager Julian Nagelsmann seeks to blend youth impetus (Mathys Tel) with veteran leadership (Luka Modrić’s son, Iván Modrić, joining on loan).
- Emergent Underdogs: Clubs like RB Leipzig and Real Sociedad have consistently punched above their weight. Their disciplined pressing and home-grown talent could yield upsets in the Swiss model’s varied matchups.
Tactical Trends to Watch
- High Press vs. False Nine: Teams will counter Manchester City’s midfield overloads by deploying false nine systems, aiming to drag Guardiola’s midfielders out of position.
- Wing-Back Evolution: With wider fields of play introduced at UEFA’s tactical summit, versatile wing-backs (e.g., Alphonso Davies, João Cancelo) will be pivotal in transitioning quickly from defense to attack.
- Set-Piece Innovation: Expected introduction of hybrid free-kick walls and dynamic wall movement—teams with specialist takers (Kylian Mbappé, Trent Alexander-Arnold) gain a crucial edge.
Key Fixtures 2025-26 UEFA Champions League
- Matchday 1:
- Real Madrid vs Manchester United (Santiago Bernabéu)
- Real Madrid vs Marseille
- Matchday 3: PSG vs Bayern Munich (Parc des Princes)
- Matchday 4:
- Juventus vs Sporting CP
- Liverpool vs Real Madrid – 1-0
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Bayern Munich – 1-2
- Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund
- Matchday 5
- Chelsea vs Barcelona
- Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
- Atlético Madrid vs Inter Milan
- PSG vs Tottenham Hotspur
- Round of 16 Draw: December 16, 2025 (Nyon)
Dark Horses and Favorites
- Favorites:
- Manchester City
- Real Madrid
- Bayern Munich
- PSG
- Dark Horses:
- Atlético Madrid
- Barcelona
- Liverpool
- Chelsea
2025-26 UEFA Champions League Points Table | UCL Standings
Here’s the updated 2025-26 UEFA Champions League table as of December 15, 2025 (after Matchday 6).
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal (England) | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | +16 | 18 |
| 2 | Bayern Munich (Germany) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 7 | +11 | 15 |
| 3 | Paris Saint-Germain (France) | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 8 | +11 | 13 |
| 4 | Manchester City (England) | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 6 | +6 | 13 |
| 5 | Atalanta (Italy) | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 13 |
| 6 | Inter Milan (Italy) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 4 | +8 | 12 |
| 7 | Real Madrid (Spain) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 12 |
| 8 | Atlético Madrid (Spain) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 12 | +3 | 12 |
| 9 | Liverpool (England) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 12 |
| 10 | Borussia Dortmund (Germany) | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 13 | +6 | 11 |
| 11 | Tottenham Hotspur (England) | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 11 |
| 12 | Newcastle United (England) | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 6 | +7 | 10 |
| 13 | Chelsea (England) | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 8 | +5 | 10 |
| 14 | Sporting CP (Portugal) | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 8 | +4 | 10 |
| 15 | Barcelona (Spain) | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 11 | +3 | 10 |
| 16 | Marseille (France) | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 9 |
| 17 | Juventus (Italy) | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 9 |
| 18 | Galatasaray (Turkey) | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 9 |
| 19 | Monaco (France) | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 8 | −1 | 9 |
| 20 | Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 12 | −2 | 9 |
| 21 | PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 11 | +4 | 8 |
| 22 | Qarabağ (Azerbaijan) | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 13 | −3 | 7 |
| 23 | Napoli (Italy) | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 11 | −5 | 7 |
| 24 | Copenhagen (Denmark) | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 16 | −6 | 7 |
| 25 | Benfica (Portugal) | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 6 |
| 26 | Pafos (Cyprus) | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 9 | −5 | 6 |
| 27 | Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 15 | −8 | 6 |
| 28 | Athletic Bilbao (Spain) | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | −5 | 5 |
| 29 | Olympiacos (Greece) | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 13 | −7 | 5 |
| 30 | Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 16 | −8 | 4 |
| 31 | Club Brugge (Belgium) | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 16 | −8 | 4 |
| 32 | Bodø/Glimt (Norway) | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 13 | −4 | 3 |
| 33 | Slavia Prague (Czech Republic) | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11 | −9 | 3 |
| 34 | Ajax (Netherlands) | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 18 | −13 | 3 |
| 35 | Villarreal (Spain) | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 13 | −9 | 1 |
| 36 | Kairat (Kazakhstan) | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 15 | −11 | 1 |
Impact Beyond the Pitch
- Broadcast Innovations: Ultra-HD 360° streaming for global audiences, with in-match tactical overlays.
- Sustainability Pledge: UEFA’s “Green Goal 2030” initiative mandates zero-carbon matchday operations; each stadium implements solar-powered floodlights.
- Financial Fair Play Evolution: New emphasis on sustainable transfers and youth development credits, aiming to level the playing field.
The 2025-26 Champions League promises a fusion of tradition and transformation: iconic stadium nights, fresh tactical experiments, and the perennial quest for continental glory.
As the Swiss-model league phase unfolds, every match stakes high drama and global fascination—setting the stage for one of the most enthralling seasons in European football history.
How to watch the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League season?
Fans can watch the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League season live on official UEFA broadcasters such as CBS/Paramount+ (USA), TNT Sports (UK), DAZN (Canada), and other regional partners, or stream via the UEFA.tv app for select matches and highlights.