All you need to know about the UEFA Champions League draw

Football’s biggest club competition returns for the ۲۰۲۶-۲۰۲۷ season as the UEFA Champions League gets under way next month, with the draw for the main round taking place on Thursday.

Back-to-back champions Paris Saint-Germain are chasing a historic third consecutive title, while European giants Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Liverpool and Bayern Munich will look to dethrone the two-time champions.

The league phase format, now in its third year, will begin in September and run until January. It will be followed by the knockout rounds, with the champions crowned in early June.

Here’s all you need to know about this year’s draw:

When and where is the Champions League draw?

The main round fixtures will be drawn on August ۲۷ at ۶pm (۱۷:۰۰ GMT) at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

How does Champions League qualifying work?

Of the ۳۶ competing teams, ۲۹ qualified with their rankings in their respective national leagues. The remaining seven spots were up for grabs in a qualifying competition that began earlier this month and will conclude less than ۲۴ hours before the draw.

Bodo/Glimt, LASK and Sabah became the latest teams to book their place in the elite competition, leaving eight teams to battle it out for the last four places on Wednesday.

Which teams have qualified for the Champions League?

• Arsenal
• Aston Villa
• Atletico Madrid
• Barcelona
• Bayern Munich
• Bodo/Glimt
• Borussia Dortmund
• Club Brugge
• Como
• Feyenoord
• Galatasaray
• Inter Milan
• LASK
• RB Leipzig
• Liverpool
• LOSC Lille
• Manchester City
• Manchester United
• Napoli
• Paris Saint-Germain
• PSV Eindhoven
• RC Lens
• Real Betis
• Real Madrid
• AS Roma
• FC Porto
• Sabah FK
• Shakhtar Donetsk
• Slavia Prague
• Sporting CP
• VfB Stuttgart
• Villarreal

What are the pots for this season?

Under the new format, each team will play fixtures against eight teams – two teams each from Pots ۱, ۲, ۳ and ۴.

Four of the eight matches will be at home, and the other four away.

Pot ۱: PSG, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid

Pot ۲: Aston Villa, Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Sporting, Porto Club, Brugge PSV, Eindhoven, Real Betis

Pot ۳: Feyenoord, Lille, Napoli, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Shakhtar Donetsk, Galatasaray, Bodo/Glimt, (winner of League Path)

Pot ۴: Slavia Prague, VFB Stuttgart, LASK, Como, Lens, Sabah, (۳ winners of Champions Path)

When are league phase and knockout matches?

The league phase matches are scheduled for:

Matchday ۱: September ۸-۱۰

Matchday ۲: October ۱۳ and ۱۴

Matchday ۳: October ۲۰ and ۲۱

Matchday ۴: November ۳ and ۴

Matchday ۵: November ۲۴ and ۲۵

Matchday ۶: December ۸ and ۹

Matchday ۷: January ۱۹ and ۲۰

Matchday ۸: January ۲۷

The knockout phase matches are scheduled for:

Playoffs: February ۱۶, ۱۷ and ۲۳, ۲۴
Round of ۱۶: March ۹, ۱۰ and ۱۶, ۱۷
Quarterfinals: April ۶, ۷ and ۱۳, ۱۴
Semifinals: April ۲۷, ۲۸ and May ۴, ۵
Final: June ۵

When and where is the Champions League final?

The upcoming season’s final will be held at the Estadio Metropolitano, home of Spanish club Atletico Madrid.

How did PSG win last season’s Champions League?

The French side held their nerve in a cagey ⁠⁠final to retain the title by beating ⁠⁠Arsenal ۴-۳ on penalties as the nail-biting showdown ended ۱-۱ after extra time.

Arsenal defender Gabriel blasted his spot kick over Matvey Safonov’s crossbar at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, his miss confirming PSG as the first club to retain the trophy since Real Madrid completed their ⁠⁠three-year reign from ۲۰۱۶ to ۲۰۱۸.

Earlier in August, PSG won the UEFA Super Cup for a second straight year by beating Aston Villa ۲-۱, thanks to Desire Doue’s second-half goal in the annual curtain-raiser to the European football season.

Doue’s ۶۱st-minute strike after running onto Ousmane Dembele’s pass was initially ruled out for offside, only for the goal to be awarded following a video review, with Matty Cash adjudged to have marginally played him onside.