The draw schedule for the 2026/27 Champions League group stage (LATEST)

The draw for the 2026/27 Champions League league phase is scheduled for August 27, where each team will learn their eight rivals in the quest for the coveted cup.

2026/27 Champions League group stage draw schedule

According to the schedule released by UEFA, the 2026/27 Champions League league phase draw takes place on August 27, 2026,immediately after the playoff matches conclude on August 25 and 26. At this point, all 36 teams officially learn their eight opponents in Europe's most prestigious club competition.

As of July 27, UEFA has not announced the specific start time or location of the ceremony. Therefore, information suggesting the draw will be held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, remains unconfirmed. In the last two seasons, the event took place in Monaco. Fans can follow the live broadcast on UEFA's official website and app Champions League after the broadcast plan is released.

29 teams already qualified directly

The 2026/27 Champions League features 36 teams in the league phase. Among them, 29 teams earned direct qualification, while the remaining seven spots are determined through qualifying rounds and playoffs. UEFA's current list includes many big names such as Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Man United, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, and Napoli.

Additionally, Aston Villa, Villarreal, Real Betis, Leipzig, Stuttgart, Roma, Como, Lens, Lille, Porto, Sporting CP, PSV, Feyenoord, Club Brugge, Galatasaray, Slavia Prague, and Shakhtar Donetsk have also secured their spots.

The seven remaining representatives will be determined after the playoffs, which are played over two legs on August 18-19 and August 25-26. As a result, the composition of the four seeding pots will only be finalized just before the draw.

How will the 2026/27 Champions League draw work?

Under the format currently used by UEFA, the 36 teams are divided into four seeding pots, each containing nine teams. Each club will face two opponents from each pot, playing one home match and one away match.

Thus, each team plays a total of eight matches against eight different opponents, instead of facing three teams in a home-and-away format as before. Clubs from the same country do not meet in the league phase, and each team can face at most two representatives from the same other country.

The draw process combines physical balls and automatic software. Each team's name is drawn manually, and then the system determines eight opponents along with home or away rights according to the competition's conditions.

2026/27 Champions League match schedule

According to UEFA's official calendar, the eight matchdays are as follows:

• Matchday 1: September 8-10, 2026
• Matchday 2: October 13-14, 2026
• Matchday 3: October 20-21, 2026
• Matchday 4: November 3-4, 2026
• Matchday 5: November 24-25, 2026
• Matchday 6: December 8-9, 2026
• Matchday 7: January 19-20, 2027
• Matchday 8: January 27, 2027

The top eight teams in the overall standings advance directly to the Round of 16. Teams ranked 9th to 24th compete in playoffs for the remaining eight spots, while those ranked 25th and below are eliminated. The final will be held at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on June 5, 2027.