UEFA Champions League draw for League Phase, Knockout stage, Round of 16, Quarter Final, Semi Final & Final 2027!
After a gripping weekend of Premier League football, attention turns back to continental affairs for one last time in 2026-27 for the Champions League Knockout stage draw.
The UEFA Champions League is about to enter a new and thrilling chapter with the introduction of the knockout phase play-offs.
For the second time in the competition’s history, the battle for a place in the round of 16 will begin with a two-legged showdown between the teams finishing 9th to 24th in the league phase. Watch & Bet on Football =>
UEFA Champions League draw dates
Sillyseason will provide you with everything you need to know for the Champions League draw including date, time and channel plus who English sides and the rest can face in the next stage.
| Stage / Event | Draw Date(s) | Draw Time & Location | Match Dates |
| First Qualifying Round | 16 June 2026 | TBD | 7/8 & 14/15 July 2026 |
| Second Qualifying Round | 17 June 2026 | TBD | 21/22 & 28/29 July 2026 |
| Third Qualifying Round | 20 July 2026 | TBD | 4/5 & 11 August 2026 |
| Play-off Round | 3 August 2026 | TBD | 18/19 & 25/26 August 2026 |
| League Phase | 27 August 2026 | 17:00 BST in Monaco | 8 September – 27 January 2027 |
| Knockout Phase | TBC | TBD | Play-offs: Feb 2027, R16: Mar 2027, QF: Apr 2027, SF: Apr/May 2027 |
When and Where is the Champions League Draw?
The headline event of the European football calendar the UEFA Champions League league phase draw is set to take place on Thursday, 27 August 2026, at the prestigious Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.
The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 17:00 BST (that’s 18:00 CET, 12:00 PM ET in the US, and 21:30 IST for viewers in India).
This year, five English sides have secured their spots: Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal headline Pot 1, while Aston Villa and Manchester United feature in Pot 2. The draw will reveal exactly who they will face on the road to the knockout stages.
Beyond the league phase draw, the knockout phase draw which determines the round-of-16 pairings and the path to the final is yet to be scheduled, but it typically takes place in mid-December 2026.
The grand finale itself is already pencilled in for Saturday, 5 June 2027, at a venue still to be confirmed by UEFA.
Mark your calendars, August 27th is a date no football fan will want to miss!
For viewers:
It was streamed live for free on UEFA.com and UEFA’s YouTube channel.
In the UK, it was broadcast on TNT Sports.
In Spain, it aired on Movistar Plus+.
Also available on Discovery+ and Amazon Prime Video in select regions.
Champions league pots 26/27
Here are the confirmed and projected pots for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase draw, which takes place on Thursday, 27 August.
The 36 teams are split into four pots of nine based on their UEFA club coefficient rankings.
Pots 1 and 2 are fully confirmed, while Pots 3 and 4 have some spots still to be decided by the final qualifying matches.
Pot 1
| Club | Country |
| Paris St-Germain (holders) | France |
| Bayern Munich | Germany |
| Real Madrid | Spain |
| Liverpool | England |
| Inter Milan | Italy |
| Manchester City | England |
| Arsenal | England |
| Barcelona | Spain |
| Atlético Madrid | Spain |
Pot 2
| Club | Country |
| Borussia Dortmund | Germany |
| Roma | Italy |
| Sporting CP | Portugal |
| Aston Villa | England |
| Porto | Portugal |
| Manchester United | England |
| Club Brugge | Belgium |
| Real Betis | Spain |
| PSV Eindhoven | Netherlands |
Pot 3
| Club | Country |
| Feyenoord | Netherlands |
| Lille | France |
| Lyon * | France |
| Bodø/Glimt * | Norway |
| Napoli | Italy |
| RB Leipzig | Germany |
| Villarreal | Spain |
| Shakhtar Donetsk | Ukraine |
| Galatasaray | Türkiye |
Note: Lyon and Bodø/Glimt are projected to be in Pot 3 if they advance through qualifying.
Pot 4
| Club | Country |
| Dinamo Zagreb* | Croatia |
| Celtic* | Scotland |
| Slavia Prague | Czechia |
| Slovan Bratislava* | Slovakia |
| VfB Stuttgart | Germany |
| AEK Athens* | Greece |
| Como | Italy |
| Lens | France |
| AGF | Denmark |
Note: Teams with an asterisk () are projected to be in Pot 4 if they advance through qualifying. Como are the only confirmed debutants in this season’s league phase.*
English Clubs in Champions League
- Pot 1: Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal
- Pot 2: Aston Villa, Manchester United
The draw will pair each team with two opponents from each pot, for a total of eight matches (four home, four away).
How does the Champions League knockout play-off work?
Under the new Champions League format, the top eight teams from the league phase automatically progress to the round of 16.
However, those finishing between 9th and 24th must battle it out in a two-legged knockout play-off to secure their spot in the next round.
From this stage onward, the tournament follows a bracket system. The teams that finished 9th to 16th in the league phase are seeded and will face an unseeded team that finished 17th to 24th.
The seeded teams will also have the advantage of playing the second leg at home. Pre-determined pairings ensure that the draw maintains competitive balance.
Champions League Phase Table Standings:
The 2026-27 UEFA Champions League league phase has concluded, determining the 24 teams advancing to the knockout rounds.
Under the new format, the top eight teams from the single league table qualify directly for the round of 16.
Who’s in the Champions League Draw 2027?
The knockout phase play-off will feature some of Europe’s most decorated clubs.
Here’s how the UEFA Champions League 2026-27 Knockout Phase Play-off draw pots shape up based on the final league phase standings (teams ranked 9th–24th):
The winners of these two-legged ties advance to the Round of 16 to join the top eight automatic qualifiers.
Champions League Draw- When are the Play-Off Matches?
The knockout phase play-off matches will take place over two legs on the following dates:
| Leg | Dates |
|---|---|
| First leg | February 2027 |
| Second leg | February 2027 |
UEFA has confirmed that each club will play one match on a Tuesday and one on a Wednesday, with exact match dates and kick-off times to be announced following the play-off draw.
Teams Qualified for QuarterFinals
Teams: 8 winners from the Round of 16.
Format: Two-legged ties (home and away).
Draw: Open draw, no seeding or country protection.
Who Has Qualified for Champions League Quarterfinals 2027?
The UEFA Champions League has not reached the quarter-final stage for the 2026–27 season. The eight teams that have advanced are: Will be updated after Round of 16 is played.
Teams Qualified for Semi Finals
Teams: 4 winners from the Quarter Finals.
Format: Two-legged ties (home and away).
Draw: Open draw, no seeding or country protection.
Who Has Qualified for Champions League Semifinals?
Teams will be updated after Quarterfinal results.
The UEFA Champions League has not reached the semi-final stage for the 2026–27 season.
Champions League Final 2026/27
Here are the confirmed details for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League final:
| Detail | Information |
| Date | Saturday, 5 June 2027 |
| Venue | Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain |
| Kick-off Time | TBC (likely 18:00 CET / 17:00 BST, but not yet officially confirmed by UEFA) |
The Estadio Metropolitano is the home of Atlético de Madrid and has a capacity of around 70,000.
This will be the second time it has hosted a Champions League final, having previously staged the 2019 decider when Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-0.
Madrid will become the sixth-time host city for a European Cup/Champions League final only London has hosted more.
The stadium is easily reached via subway line seven (station: Estadio Metropolitano).
Stay tuned for the Champions League draw updates and fixture announcements!
All officials news on the Champions League can be found at UEFA.com. Watch & Bet on Football =>
Table of Contents
