The draw for the 2026-27 Champions League league phase will take place on Thursday, August 27 at 17:00 BST in Monaco. The competition’s new format will feature 36 teams competing in the initial stage, with 29 clubs already confirmed and seven positions still to be decided through ongoing qualifying matches that conclude the following week.
The structure of the league phase differs significantly from previous formats. Each participating team will play eight matches—four at home and four away—against different opponents. The 36 teams are divided into four separate pots based on their UEFA club coefficient rankings from the past five seasons through 2025-26. Teams will face two opponents from each pot, with the restriction that clubs cannot be paired against sides from their own country.
The stakes are high for clubs throughout the competition. The top eight finishers will advance directly to the round of 16, while teams finishing ninth through 24th will compete in playoff matches to secure their place. Teams ranked 25th to 36th will exit the tournament once the league phase concludes. England’s top clubs, including Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal, are positioned in the premier pot alongside PSG, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid, indicating the strength of their European standing.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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