The pots for the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League draw have been finalized following the completion of the playoff round on Wednesday. This marks the second time the draw will take place under the new format, which features all 36 teams in a single league table.

Key Details of the Draw

• Draw Time: 5 p.m. UK / midday ET on Thursday
• First Fixtures: Scheduled for September 16-18
• Full Match Order: Expected to be published by UEFA on Saturday

League Phase Overview

The league phase will extend into January, with all 18 games on the final matchday, January 28, being played simultaneously. This ensures a thrilling conclusion to the group stage.

Matchday Schedule

• Matchday 1: September 16-18
• Matchday 2: September 30 - October 1
• Matchday 3: October 21-22
• Matchday 4: November 4-5
• Matchday 5: November 25-26
• Matchday 6: December 9-10
• Matchday 7: January 20-21
• Matchday 8: January 28

New Format Insights

Rather than placing teams into traditional groups, the draw will create eight fixtures for each club. Each team will play two matches (one home and one away) against teams from each of the four pots. This format ensures a balanced competition, with no advantage for teams in Pot 1, as they will also face strong opponents from their own pot.

Pot Structure

• Pot 1: Includes the Champions League titleholders and other top teams based on UEFA club coefficients.
• Pots 2-4: Ordered by strength based on UEFA's club coefficient, which ranks clubs on their performance in Europe over the previous five seasons.

Notable Teams in Each Pot

• Pot 1: Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Internazionale, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona
• Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atlético Madrid, Benfica, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, Club Brugge
• Pot 3: Tottenham Hotspur, PSV Eindhoven, Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Bodo/Glimt, Marseille
• Pot 4: F.C. København, AS Monaco, Galatasaray, Union St.-Gilloise, FK Qarabag, Athletic Club, Newcastle United, Pafos, Kairat Almaty

Final Venue

The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League final will be held at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary on Saturday, May 30.

This new format promises to deliver an exciting and unpredictable season of European football, with every match crucial in determining the eventual champion.