The pots for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league-phase draw have been confirmed, with 36 clubs divided into four seeding pots ahead of Thursday’s draw in Monaco.
UEFA confirmed that the draw will take place on Thursday, August 27, at 6:00pm Central European Time (5:00pm UK time). Each pot contains nine teams, with clubs seeded according to UEFA’s coefficient system.
The league-phase format means every club will play eight matches against eight different opponents — four at home and four away — facing two teams from each of the four pots. Clubs cannot face another team from their own domestic league during the league phase.
Pot 1
The top-seeded pot includes some of Europe’s biggest clubs:
- Bayern Munich
- Real Madrid
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Inter Milan
- Manchester City
- Arsenal
- Barcelona
- Atlético Madrid
- Borussia Dortmund
Pot 2
The second pot features:
- Liverpool
- Manchester United
- Porto
- Napoli
- Roma
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Chelsea
- Atalanta
- Benfica
Pot 3
Among the teams in Pot 3 are:
- PSV Eindhoven
- Feyenoord
- Tottenham Hotspur
- Ajax
- Sporting CP
- Marseille
- Olympiacos
- Villarreal
- Galatasaray
Pot 4
The fourth pot contains the remaining nine qualifiers, including several clubs making or returning to the Champions League league phase.
With the draw system requiring every club to face two opponents from each pot, supporters could see blockbuster encounters between Europe’s elite during the opening phase of the competition.
For example, clubs in Pot 1 can potentially be drawn against two other Pot 1 sides, meaning heavyweight clashes involving teams such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, PSG or Arsenal are possible.
The 2026/27 Champions League is the third season under UEFA’s expanded league-phase format, replacing the previous group-stage system. The competition features 36 clubs rather than the former 32-team format.
After the eight league-phase matches, the top eight teams in the table will qualify directly for the round of 16. Teams finishing ninth to 24th will enter the knockout-phase play-offs, while those finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated.
The league phase is scheduled to begin in September, with the final set for June 5, 2027, at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.
The confirmed pots have therefore set the stage for another season of elite European football, with clubs and supporters now waiting to discover the eight opponents that will determine their route through the new Champions League format.
The draw takes place today in Monaco — and the road to Madrid begins.
