2025/26 UEFA Champions League League Phase Draw Holds This Week in Monaco

Later this week in Monaco, the draw for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League league phase will take place, setting the stage for another thrilling season of European football.

According to TalkSPORT, reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, who lifted their first-ever Champions League trophy after defeating Inter Milan in May, will be among the top seeds. Luis Enrique’s side will carry the weight of expectation as Europe’s elite look to dethrone them.

This season will once again follow UEFA’s updated format introduced last year. Instead of the traditional group stage, the competition will feature a single 36-team league phase. Clubs are divided into four pots of nine, based on UEFA’s coefficient rankings. Each team will play eight matches — two against sides from each pot — with four games at home and four away.

Unlike the old format, a computer algorithm will ensure balanced fixtures, preventing clubs from facing all teams and guaranteeing greater variety. No team can face more than two opponents from the same country, and clubs from the same nation cannot be paired during the league phase.

The Premier League will be strongly represented, with Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal already confirmed, joined by Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur — the latter making their return after a two-year absence.

Elsewhere, Union Saint-Gilloise of Belgium will make their historic debut in the league phase. Pot 1 will feature PSG, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Inter Milan, while Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, and Juventus headline Pot 2.

Benfica, Rangers, and Celtic are also in contention, but several play-off ties must still be concluded before the final list of participants is confirmed.

Excitement is building as representatives from across Europe prepare to gather in Monaco. The draw will take place at the Grimaldi Forum on Thursday, August 28, starting at 5 p.m. Nigerian time.