The UEFA Champions League league phase draw for the 2025/26 season has set the stage for some enthralling encounters, with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) facing a challenging path and Real Madrid set for a high-profile clash against Liverpool. The draw, which took place on August 28, 2025, has generated excitement among fans as Europe's top clubs prepare to battle it out for the coveted title.
PSG, the defending champions, will face a tough test as they aim to retain their crown. The draw has handed them a difficult slate of opponents, including a home game against Bayern Munich and an away fixture against Barcelona. These matches promise to be intense battles between some of the continent's biggest names. In addition to Bayern and Barcelona, PSG's league phase opponents include Borussia Dortmund, Villarreal, Slavia Prague and Copenhagen at home, and Eintracht Frankfurt, Bodo/Glimt and AS Monaco away.
Real Madrid, another powerhouse in European football, are set to face Liverpool in what is arguably one of the standout games of the league phase. The two clubs have a rich history in the Champions League, having met in several memorable encounters, including the 2018 final. Real Madrid won that encounter 3-1. Besides Liverpool, Real Madrid will also face Manchester City and Juventus. Other opponents for Real Madrid include Dortmund, Leverkusen, Villarreal, Napoli, Bodo/Glimt, Galatasaray and Monaco.
The revamped Champions League format for the 2025/26 season sees 36 teams participating in a single league table. Each team will play eight matches against different opponents, with four home games and four away games. The top eight teams will automatically qualify for the round of 16, while the teams finishing from ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged play-off to secure their place in the knockout stage. Teams finishing 25th to 36th will be eliminated from European competitions.
Other notable matchups include Bayern Munich vs Chelsea, Barcelona vs PSG, Real Madrid vs Manchester City, Inter vs Liverpool and Chelsea vs Barcelona. Arsenal will face Bayern Munich, Inter and Atlético Madrid, while Tottenham will take on Dortmund and PSG. Newcastle has been drawn against Barcelona and PSG.
The league phase matches will be played between September 2025 and January 2026. The full calendar for the opening round of the tournament will be released on August 30. Matchday 1 is scheduled for September 16-18, 2025, and Matchday 8 will be on January 28, 2026. The knockout phase play-offs will take place in February 2026, with the round of 16 in March, quarter-finals in April and semi-finals in May. The final is scheduled to be held in Budapest on May 30, 2026.
