UEFA have confirmed that the draw for the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League league phase will take place on Thursday, August 27.
The draw will determine the fixtures for the 36 clubs competing in Europe’s premier club competition following the conclusion of the qualifying rounds.
Qualifiers to decide final spots
Several places in the league phase remain up for grabs as the Champions League qualifying playoffs continue.
Teams involved in the two-legged ties must secure qualification before the return matches on August 25 and 26 to earn a place in the main competition.
Once the qualifying process is completed, the August 27 draw will confirm the full list of participants and map out each club’s league-phase schedule.
League format remains unchanged
The Champions League will continue to use the league format introduced in the 2024-25 season.
Under the system, each of the 36 teams plays eight league-phase matches against different opponents, with four games at home and four away.
The top eight teams in the standings will qualify automatically for the round of 16, while the clubs finishing between ninth and 24th will contest a two-legged playoff for the remaining knockout places.
Paris Saint-Germain enter the new campaign as defending champions after winning each of the last two Champions League titles under the league-phase format.
