The Champions League draw for the 2026/27 edition of the competition will schedule the initial eight matches for each of the teams taking part.
Reigning French champions Paris Saint-Germain will defend the title they retained by beating Arsenal on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the 2025/26 final.
Premier League holders the Gunners and runners-up Manchester City will be joined by Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool in the draw.
Here’s what you need to know about the Champions League draw, including when it takes place, when future draws are and the fixture schedule for 2026/27.
When is the Champions League league phase draw?
The draw will take place on Thursday, August 27 – a day after the play-off ties come to a close to decide the last teams to qualify.
The draw ceremony will start at 17:00 BST / 12:00 ET / 09:00 PT.
How to watch the Champions League draw: TV channel, live stream
The draw will be shown live and for free on UEFA.com, as well as on UEFA’s YouTube channel.
TNT Sports will also broadcast the draw on TNT Sports 1 and the HBO Max app.
Champions League format
In a change from the group stage format conducted until 2023/24, each team now plays eight matches in the league phase, all against different opponents.
Four of those matches will be at home and four away, with the opponents determined according to four seeding pots split by rankings.
Teams will play two opponents from each of those pots – one against a team from each pot at home and one away. The results decide the overall standings in one league.
The top eight sides in the table qualify automatically for the round of 16. The teams finishing in ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout phase play-off to reach the last 16.
Teams finishing 25th or lower are out of Europe for the season.
Champions League schedule, fixtures 2026/27
The league phase starts on September 8 and runs until the end of January.
| Matchday | Date |
|---|---|
| 1 | September 8-10, 2026 |
| 2 | October 13/14, 2026 |
| 3 | October 20/21, 2026 |
| 4 | November 3/4, 2026 |
| 5 | November 24/25, 2026 |
| 6 | December 8/9, 2026 |
| 7 | January 19/20, 2027 |
| 8 | January 27, 2027 |
When is the Champions League knockout phase?
The knockout stage starts with the play-offs to reach the round of 16 in February.
| Round | Date |
|---|---|
| Play-offs | February 16/17 & 23/24, 2027 |
| Round of 16 | March 9/10 & 16/17, 2027 |
| Quarter-finals | April 6/7 & 13/14, 2027 |
| Semi-finals | April 27/28 & May 4/5, 2027 |
| Final | June 5, 2027 |
When are the Champions League draws?
The dates for the knockout stage draws were yet to be confirmed as of August 25, 2026.
English teams in the Champions League: Why are there five clubs?
Arsenal, City, United, Villa and Liverpool.qualified as the top five teams in the Premier League.
England was awarded extra positions as a result of UEFA’s co-efficient rankings, which are based on the overall performances of nations across European competition over a season.
Villa also won last season’s Europa League, which would have earned the Villans a place in the Champions League had they not qualified through their league position.
When is the Champions League final?
The final will take place on June 5 2027 at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, which has been Atletico Madrid’s home since 2017.
That could be a good omen for English teams: two Premier League sides reached the final when Atleti’s home previously hosted the showpiece in 2019, Liverpool beating Tottenham 2-0.
