Champions League 2026-27 Draw Details and Process Explained
The draw for the Champions League 2026-27 season is scheduled for 17:00 BST on Thursday, 27 August in Monaco. A total of 36 teams qualified for this phase, divided into four pots based on their UEFA club coefficient rankings.
Starting with pot one, each team is drawn individually. Following that, UEFA's automated software selects eight opponents for them. Teams like Paris St-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid are all placed in pot one.
Each team will play eight matches, facing two teams from each pot—one at home and one away. English clubs cannot face another English club during this league phase. Additionally, no fixtures will pair teams from the same country or exceed more than two matches against teams from any other single nation.
This method continues until all fixture schedules for the 36 teams are finalized.
Europa League Draw Schedule and Format
The Europa League draw happens a day after the Champions League draw, beginning at 12:00 BST on Friday, 28 August. It follows a similar format with 36 teams split into four pots, each assigned eight matches. The same fixture rules apply as in the Champions League.
The draws for both the Europa League and Conference League occur during the same ceremony. No physical balls will be used; instead, UEFA employs a fully digital draw process aimed at efficiency and speed.
Conference League Draw Details
The Conference League draw takes place immediately after the Europa League draw within the same event. Unlike the Champions and Europa Leagues, the Conference League's league phase consists of six rounds rather than eight.
The 36 teams are divided into six pots of six clubs each. Each team is then drawn to face one team from each pot.
Key Draw Information in Lists:
- Champions League Draw: 27 August, 17:00 BST, Monaco
- Number of Teams: 36 divided into 4 pots
- Matches per Team: 8 (two against teams from each pot)
- Restrictions: No same-country matchups in league phase; English teams can't meet each other
- Europa League Draw: 28 August, 12:00 BST; combined with Conference League draw
- Conference League Draw: Immediately after Europa League draw; 6 rounds; 36 teams in 6 pots
These details come from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team, answering common questions about UEFA competitions.
