2025-26 The UEFA Champions League begins Tuesday with the league phase of the tournament underway.
Europe’s largest club competition is now in its 70th year, with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) sometimes being the defending champion.
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There’s everything you need to know about the full league stages and knockout schedules.
2025-26 What is the league phase of the UEFA Champions League?
Currently, in the expanded league phase, which is entering the second season, all 36 teams are placed in one big league table. The club replaced an older group phase where they were drawn into a small cohort.
During the league stage, each team plays eight matches against other countries’ opponents to determine the league’s overall rankings.
The 24 highest-ranked teams will advance to the knockout phase of the tournament after Match Day 8. The top eight clubs will go directly to the 16th round. Clubs 9th to 24th will enter the two-legged playoffs to reach the knockout phase. And the bottom 12 clubs have been eliminated from the tournament.
2025-26 When will the UEFA Champions League: League Phase match?
Match Day 1: September 16-18, 2025 Match Day 2: September 30, 2025 – October 1, 2025 Match Day 3: October 21-22, 2025 Match Day 4: January 4-5, 2025, January 25-26, 2025, Match Day 6: December 9-10, January 7, 2025: January 8, 2021, 8, 8: January 28, 2026
Where is the 2025-26 Champions League final?
The UEFA Champions League final will be held in May at Puskas Arena in Budapest.
When will the knockout stage in the 2025-26 Champions League?
Playoff draw: January 30, 2026 Knockout Playoffs: February 17-18 and 24-25, 2026 Round 16: March 10-11 and 17-18, 2026 Quarterfinals: April 7-8 and 14-15, 2026 Semi-finals: April 28-29 and May 5-6, 2026, May 30, 2026
What are the prize money for the UEFA Champions League?
$2.6 billion will be distributed to clubs involved in the league stage of the 2025-26 Champions League.
The winners of the Champions League, along with all the other teams, are rewarded by game.
If the ultimate champion wins all games through the competition, they can charge 100 million euros ($116 million).
Full League Phase Match Schedule
*All matches will kick off at 7:00 GMT unless otherwise specified.
Match Day 1
Tuesday, September 16th, 2025
Athletic Club vs Arsenal (16:45 GMT)
PSV Eindhoven vs Union Sangillowers (16:45 GMT)
Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid vs Marseille
Benfica vs. Carabag
Tottenham vs Villarreal
Wednesday, September 17th, 2025
Olympiacos vs Pafos (16:45 GMT)
Slavia Praha vs Bodo/Glimt (16:45 GMT)
ajax vs inter
Bayern Munich vs Chelsea
Liverpool vs Atletico de Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain vs Atalanta
Thursday, September 18th, 2025
Club Bruges vs Monaco (16:45 GMT)
Copenhagen vs. Leberkusen (16:45 GMT)
Frankfurt vs Galata Salei
Manchester City vs Naples
Newcastle United vs Barcelona
Sports CP vs Kairat Almaty
Match 2
Tuesday, September 30th, 2025
Atalanta vs Club Brugge (16:45 GMT)
Kairat Almaty vs Real Madrid (16:45 GMT)
Atletico de Madrid vs Frankfurt
Chelsea vs Benfica
Inter vs Slavia Praha
Bodeau/Grimt vs Tottenham
Galatasaray vs Liverpool
Marseille vs ajax
Paphos vs Bayern Munich
Wednesday, October 1st, 2025
Qarabag vs Copenhagen (16:45 GMT)
Union Sunjowards vs Newcastle United (16:45 GMT)
Arsenal vs Olympiacos
Monaco vs Manchester City
Leverkusen vs PSV Eindhoven
Borussia Dortmund vs Athletic Club
Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain
Napoli vs. Sports CP
Villarreal vs Juventus
Match 3
Tuesday, October 21st, 2025
Barcelona vs Olympiacos (16:45 GMT)
Kairat Almaty vs Pafos (16:45 GMT)
Arsenal vs Atletico de Madrid
Leverkusen vs Paris Saind-Germain
Copenhagen vs. Borussia Dortmund
Newcastle United vs Benfica
PSV Eindhoven vs Napoli
Union Sangillowers vs inter
Villarreal vs Manchester City
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025
Athletic Club vs Karabag (16:45 GMT)
Galatasaray vs Bodo/Glimt (16:45 GMT)
Monaco vs Tottenham
Atalanta vs. Slavia Prague
Chelsea vs ajax
Frankfurt vs Liverpool
Bayern Munich vs Club Bruge
Real Madrid vs Juventus
Sports CP vs Marseille
Match Day 4
Tuesday, November 4th, 2025
Slavia Praha vs Arsenal (16:45 GMT)
Naples vs Frankfurt (16:45 GMT)
Atletico de Madrid vs Union Saint-Joys
Bodeau/Grimt vs Monaco
Juventus vs Sports CP
Liverpool vs Real Madrid
Olympiacos vs PSV Eindhoven
Paris Saint-Germain vs Bayern Munich
Tottenham vs Copenhagen
Wednesday, November 5th, 2025
Pafos vs Villarreal (16:45 GMT)
Qarabag vs Chelsea (16:45 GMT)
Ajax vs Galatasaray
Club Bruges vs Barcelona
Inter vs Kairat Almaty
Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund
Newcastle United vs Athletic Club
Marseille vs Atalanta
Benfica vs. Lebakusen
Match 5
Tuesday, November 25th, 2025
Ajax vs Benfica (16:45 GMT)
Galatasaray vs Union Saint-Gilloise (16:45 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal
Chelsea vs Barcelona
Bodeau/Grimt vs Juventus
Manchester City vs. Leberkusen
Marseille vs Newcastle United
Slavia Praha vs Athletic Club
Naples vs. Carabagh
Wednesday, November 26th, 2025
Copenhagen vs Kairat Almaty (16:45 GMT)
Pafos vs Monaco (16:45 GMT)
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
Atletico de Madrid vs. Inter
Frankfurt vs Atalanta
Liverpool vs PSV Eindhoven
Olympiacos vs Real Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain vs Tottenham
Sports CP vs Club Bruge
Match Day 6
Tuesday, December 9th, 2025
Kairat Almaty vs Olympiacos (14:30 GMT)
Bayern Munich vs Sports CP (16:45 GMT)
Monaco vs Galatasarai
Atalanta vs. Chelsea
Barcelona vs Frankfurt
Inter vs Liverpool
PSV Eindhoven vs Atletico de Madrid
Union Saint Gillowers vs Marseille
Tottenham vs Slavia Prague
Wednesday, December 10th, 2025
Qarabag vs Ajax (16:45 GMT)
Villarreal vs Copenhagen (16:45 GMT)
Athletic Club vs Paris Saint-Germain
Leverkusen vs Newcastle United
Borussia Dortmund vs Bodo/Glimt
Club Bruges vs Arsenal
Juventus vs. Paphos
Real Madrid vs Manchester City
Benfica vs Naples
Match Day 7
Tuesday, January 20th, 2026
Kairat Almaty vs Club Brugge (14:30 GMT)
Bodeau/Grimt vs Manchester City (16:45 GMT)
Copenhagen vs Naples
Inter vs Arsenal
Olympiacos vs. Lebakusen
Real Madrid vs Monaco
Sports CP vs Paris Saint-Germain
Tottenham vs. Borussia Dortmund
villarreal vs ajax
Wednesday, January 21st, 2026
Galatasaray vs Atletico de Madrid (16:45 GMT)
Qarabag vs Frankfurt (16:45 GMT)
Atalanta vs. Athletic Club
Chelsea vs. Paphos
Bayern Munich vs Union Sangillowers
Juventus vs Benfica
Newcastle United vs PSV Eindhoven
Marseille vs Liverpool
Slavia Prague vs Barcelona
Match Day 8
Wednesday, January 28th, 2026
Ajax vs Olympiacos
Arsenal vs Kairat Almaty
Monaco vs Juventus
Athletic Club vs. Sports CP
Atletico de Madrid vs Bodeau/Grimto
Leverkusen vs Villarreal
Borussia Dortmund vs Inter
Club Bruges vs Marseille
Frankfurt vs Tottenham
Barcelona vs Copenhagen
Liverpool vs Qarabag
Manchester City vs Galata Salei
Pafos vs Slavia Praha
Paris Saint-Germain vs Newcastle United
PSV Eindhoven vs Bayern Munich
Union Sangi Rose vs Atalanta
Benfica vs Real Madrid
Napoli vs Chelsea
