UEFA Champions League 2025/26: Key dates, match schedule & final
In 2025/26, Europe's elite club competition returns for its 71st season and its 34th since being rebranded to the Champions League, with the final scheduled for May 30, 2026.
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UEFA has unveiled the full fixture schedule for the 2025/26 Champions League season, covering everything from the opening qualifying round to the title-deciding contest.
Here's a look at all the key dates for the upcoming season of Europe's premier club competition, along with details on how to watch the matches live.
How to watch the 2025/26 Champions League season?
All games at Europe's top table in the 2025/26 season will be available to watch online via Champions League live streams.
When do Champions League qualifying fixtures start?
The 2025/26 Champions League qualifiers commenced on July 7 with the first qualifying round. Teams will play the return fixtures on July 15 and 16.
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Qualifying caps off on August 27, when seven teams will join the 29 sides that have already qualified for the 2025/26 league phase.
PSG's triumph last season has freed up a slot for Greek powerhouse Olympiacos, who earned automatic league-phase qualification through the European Performance Slots.
Fifty-three teams will compete in the qualifying cycle, with 42 in the Champions Path and 11 teams in the League Path.
Of those 42, five will advance into the league phase as play-off winners. Meanwhile, the two League Path play-off victors will enter the main draw.
When is the Champions League group stage draw?
The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League group stage draw will take place on August 28, the day after the conclusion of the play-offs.
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When does the Champions League's league phase start?
The 2025/26 Champions League opening stage begins in mid-September, with first matches set for September 16.
Pot 1 contains the reigning Champions League holders and the eight best-ranked teams across Europe's traditional top-five leagues.
In addition to PSG, the remaining top-seeded teams in Pot 1 are Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Despite winning the UEFA Europa League last season, Tottenham Hotspur won't have a spot in Pot 1.
Pot 2 features Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt and Villarreal, while UEFA will finalise the remaining two pots after the qualifiers conclude.
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When does the knockout stage of the Champions League start?
Like last season, the newly formatted knockout phase starts with a play-off round, which takes place in mid-February.
It runs from February 17-25 before the best 32 teams lock horns in the round of 16 between March 10 and 18.
Quarter-final first legs take place on April 7/8, with return matches on April 14/15.
April 28/29 are booked for the semi-final first legs, with the return games scheduled for May 5 and 6.
When and where is the Champions League final in 2026?
The 2025/26 Champions League showpiece, scheduled to take place at Puskas Arena in Budapest on May 30, will be the first final held at the home of the Hungarian national team.
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Puskas Arena hosted the UEFA Europa League decider in 2023 when Atalanta trounced Leverkusen 3-0 en route to their first-ever European title.
It was the host venue for the 2022 UEFA Super Cup between Bayern and Sevilla, where the German heavyweights recorded a 2-1 victory after extra time to claim the trophy.
2025/26 Champions League Schedule – In Summary
Champions League Qualifying Fixtures
First qualifying round: July 8/9 & 15/16, 2025
Second qualifying round: July 22/23 & 29/30, 2025
Third qualifying round: August 5/6 & 12, 2025
Play-offs: August 19/20 & 26/27, 2025
Champions League Opening Phase
Matchday 1: September 16–18, 2025
Matchday 2: September 30 – October 1, 2025
Matchday 3: October 21/22, 2025
Matchday 4: November 4/5, 2025
Matchday 5: November 25/26, 2025
Matchday 6: December 9/10, 2025
Matchday 7: January 20/21, 2026
Matchday 8: January 28, 2026
Knockout Stage
Knockout phase play-offs: February 17/18 & 24/25, 2026
Round of 16: March 10/11 & 17/18, 2026
Quarter-finals: April 7/8 & 14/15, 2026
Semi-finals: April 28/29 & May 5/6, 2026
Final: May 30, 2026 (Budapest)
Champions League Draws
First qualifying round: June 17, 2025
Second qualifying round: June 18, 2025
Third qualifying round: July 21, 2025
Play-offs: August 4, 2025
League phase: August 28, 2025
Knockout phase play-offs: January 30, 2026
Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final: February 27, 2026
Champions League Final Venue: Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary.
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