The UEFA Champions League takes centre stage today as Europe’s top clubs wait for the league-phase draw in Monaco. The draw starts at 18:00 CET on Thursday, 27 August, at the Grimaldi Forum. A total of 36 clubs will learn the path that could take them to the final in Madrid.
This is the third season with the new league-phase format. The old group stage is gone, and every club now faces eight different opponents. The new system gives fans more major matches from the first part of the competition and creates a much wider set of possible ties.
The draw comes just one day after the final play-off matches. Fenerbahçe, Viking, AEK Athens and Slovan Bratislava secured the last four places on Wednesday. They joined the 29 clubs that had already earned direct entry to the league phase. UEFA has now confirmed the full field.
A Star-Studded Pot 1
Pot 1 contains many of the biggest names in world football. Paris, the 2026 European champions, sit at the top of the list after their success in Budapest. Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Inter, Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid also sit in Pot 1.
Real Madrid will draw major attention once again. The Spanish giants have a long record of success in this competition, and their presence adds weight to any fixture list. Barcelona also bring huge appeal, while Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal give England three clubs in the top pot.
Bayern and Inter add more European history, while Atlético Madrid are another side that few clubs will want to face. With nine powerful teams in Pot 1, almost every draw can create a major test for a club from another pot.
Manchester United Lead a Strong Pot 2
Pot 2 also has enough quality to make the league phase hard for the top seeds. Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Sporting CP, Aston Villa, Porto, Manchester United, Club Brugge, Real Betis and PSV make up the second pot.
Manchester United will draw close attention after their place among the top sides from Pot 2. Aston Villa give England another club in this section, while Dortmund, Roma and Porto have strong European records.
Sporting CP and PSV can also offer difficult nights. Real Betis and Club Brugge add more variety to the possible fixtures. A Pot 1 club could therefore face a very tough opponent from Pot 2 before it reaches the third and fourth pots.
Strong Threats in Pot 3
Pot 3 has several teams with the quality to upset bigger names. Feyenoord, Lille, Bodø/Glimt, Napoli, Leipzig, Villarreal, Fenerbahçe, Shakhtar and Galatasaray are all part of this group.
Napoli and Leipzig have recent experience at the highest level, while Feyenoord and Villarreal can cause problems for any side. Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray also add a different challenge, with difficult away atmospheres likely to make their home matches especially hard.
Bodø/Glimt have earned attention after another strong run in Europe. Shakhtar remain a familiar name on the continental stage, while Lille have enough quality to trouble stronger opponents.
Pot 4 Adds More Uncertainty
The fourth pot has Slavia Praha, Slovan Bratislava, Stuttgart, AEK Athens, LASK, Como, Lens, Viking and Sabah.
Some of these clubs may appear less famous than the giants in Pot 1, but that does not make them easy opponents. Stuttgart have shown they can compete at a high level, while Slavia Praha have strong European experience. AEK Athens and LASK also return to the biggest club competition after their route through the qualifiers.
Viking will take part in the Champions League league phase for the first time. Their progress gives the draw a fresh story, while Sabah have also made history by reaching this stage.
How the New Draw Works
Each club will face eight different teams. Two opponents will come from each of the four pots. Each club will play four matches at home and four away.
A club cannot face another team from its own country. UEFA also has rules that can shape the final fixture list and prevent certain repeated matchups. The draw system uses a computer to complete the schedule after the manual selection of clubs.
The format means every club has a single league table rather than a small group. After all eight matches, the top eight teams go straight to the round of 16. Teams from ninth to 24th enter the knockout phase play-offs, while the bottom 12 clubs leave the competition.
The biggest question is simple: who gets the hardest schedule? A club from Pot 1 cannot face another Pot 1 side, but it can still receive strong teams from Pots 2, 3 and 4. That makes the first stage less predictable than the old group format. Every point may matter in the race for the top eight.
Why Today’s Draw Matters
The draw can shape an entire European campaign. A strong club may receive a tough schedule and face several major opponents before the knockout rounds. Another side could receive a more favourable path and gain a better chance to finish in the top eight.
The fixture list will also affect domestic leagues. UEFA says the full match dates and kick-off times will be announced no later than Saturday, 29 August. Clubs and supporters will then know the exact shape of the first stage.
Travel will also matter. Some clubs will cross Europe several times, while others may receive shorter trips. Weather, distance and crowd pressure can affect an away match. Coaches will study the calendar once UEFA confirms the full fixture list.
Road to Madrid
The league phase begins from 8 to 10 September 2026. Matchday two follows on 13 and 14 October, then matchday three on 20 and 21 October. Matchday four comes on 3 and 4 November, with matchday five on 24 and 25 November.
The knockout phase play-offs take place on 16 and 17 February and 23 and 24 February. The round of 16 follows in March, the quarter-finals arrive in April, and the semi-finals take place in late April and early May.
The final is set for 5 June 2027 in Madrid. For the 36 clubs in Monaco today, that date is still far away. Yet every club will know that its route to that night starts with this draw.
A Day of Huge Possibilities
The draw is a major football event, and the league phase gives today extra importance. Every club will receive eight opponents, with the strength of those fixtures able to shape its season.
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Inter, Atlético Madrid and Paris know that they will face tests from the other pots. Manchester United, Aston Villa, Dortmund, Roma and Porto will also hope for a route that can push them toward the top of the table.
For supporters, the wait is almost over. After the ceremony in Monaco, the road to Madrid will be clear. The season can now begin.
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