AFCON 2025
The draw for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League league phase was conducted on Thursday evening at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, setting the stage for a campaign packed with heavyweight clashes and historic rivalries.
This is the second season under UEFA’s new format, which replaces the traditional group stage with a 36-team league phase. Each club will play eight fixtures against opponents from different pots, with the top eight sides qualifying directly for the round of 16, while teams finishing 9th to 24th battle in a knockout play-off.
The ceremony produced some blockbuster ties. Barcelona were paired with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, while Arsenal face daunting encounters against Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Atlético Madrid.
Manchester City will renew their rivalry with Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, while Liverpool must navigate meetings with both Madrid and Atlético. Chelsea’s path also includes Barcelona, Bayern and Napoli, promising a gruelling campaign for the London club.
In one of the night’s standout moments, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin presented Chelsea with a special award for becoming the first club to win all four major European competitions: the Champions League, Europa League, Cup Winners’ Cup and Conference League.
Fixtures for the league phase, which runs from mid-September to late January, will be confirmed by Saturday. The competition will culminate with the final at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on 30 May 2026.
