Champions League Draw 2026-27: Time, Teams and Everything You Need to Know
Posted on08/27/26 at 03:00
The UEFA Champions League 2026-27 is ready for one of the first major moments of the season: the draw that will determine the matchups for the 36 participating clubs in the league phase.
The event will take place this Thursday, August 27, at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco and will define the eight rivals each team will face during the first stage of the tournament.
What Time is the Champions League Draw in the United States?
The draw will begin at 12:00 p.m. ET this Thursday, August 27.
These are the times in the United States:
- 12:00 p.m. ET
- 11:00 a.m. CT
- 10:00 a.m. MT
- 9:00 a.m. PT
In central Mexico, it will start at 10:00 a.m.
Which Teams are Participating?
The league phase will feature 36 clubs. Among the main qualified teams are:
Spain: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético de Madrid, Villarreal, and Real Betis.
England: Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Aston Villa.
Italy: Inter Milan, Napoli, Roma, and Como.
Germany: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and Stuttgart.
France: Paris Saint-Germain, Lens, and Lille.
Other clubs like PSV, Feyenoord, Porto, Sporting CP, Galatasaray, Club Brugge, Slavia Prague, and Shakhtar Donetsk will also participate.
The last seven spots come from the qualifying rounds.
How Does the Champions League Draw Work?
The 36 teams will be distributed into four pots of nine clubs according to their UEFA coefficient.
Each team will have eight different rivals: two from each of the four pots.
Of those eight matches, four will be played at home and four away.
In principle, two clubs from the same federation cannot face each other during this stage.
How Does the League Phase Work?
All teams are part of a single overall classification.
Each club will play eight matches, and their final position will determine their future:
- Places 1-8: advance directly to the Round of 16.
- Places 9-24: play in the pre-Round of 16 playoff.
- Places 25-36: are eliminated.
The first matchday will begin on September 8.
Where to Watch the Draw?
UEFA will offer a free broadcast of the draw through its official platforms.
Although the eight rivals for each team will be known on Thursday, UEFA reported that the complete schedule, with dates and times of the matches, will be announced no later than Saturday, August 29.
Champions League 2026-27 Dates
The league phase will have eight matchdays between September 2026 and January 2027.
The playoffs will take place in February, the Round of 16 in March, the Quarterfinals in April, and the Semifinals between April and May.
The final is scheduled for June 5, 2027, in Madrid.
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