Champions League draw: Start time, teams and how to watch league phase matches

The Champions League returns next month, and this Thursday sees the league phase draw confirmed with a ceremony in Monaco.

Three months on from PSG retaining their title on penalties against Arsenal in Budapest, this season’s competition takes shape, as each of the 36 teams discovers their eight league phase matches.

Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool are the English teams involved, with Celtic hoping to make it six British teams by winning their play-off tie against LASK. They won the first leg 3-0.

Other big-hitters in pot one include PSG, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Champions League league phase draw.

When is the Champions League league phase draw?

The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase draw starts at 5pm BST (12pm ET) on Thursday, 27 August.

The draw will arrange the eight matches each team contests in the 36-team first phase – facing two teams from pots one, two, three and four. Half of the matches will be at home, the other half away.

Where can I watch the draw?

The draw will be broadcast on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max in the United Kingdom, the joint host broadcasters in the UK of the Champions League alongside Prime Video.

Which teams are in what pots?

Pot 1

PSG
Bayern Munich
Real Madrid
Liverpool
Inter Milan
Manchester City
Arsenal
Barcelona
Atletico Madrid

Pot 2

Aston Villa
Manchester United
Borussia Dortmund
Roma
Sporting
Porto
Club Brugge
PSV Eindhoven
Real Betis

Pot 3

Feyenoord
Lille
Napoli
RB Leipzig
Villarreal
Shakhtar Donetsk
Galatasaray
Winner of Fenerbahce vs Lyon

Pot 3 or 4

Winner of NEC Nijmegen vs Bodo/Glimt
Winner of Dinamo Zagreb vs Viking
Winner of Celtic vs LASK
Slavia Prague

Pot 4

Winner of Slovan Bratislava vs Celje
VfB Stuttgart
Winner of Levski Sofia vs AEK Athens
Como
Lens
Winner of Hapoel Be’er Sheva vs Sabah

Who qualifies for the knockout round?

The top eight all automatically qualify for the last-16, while teams positioned ninth to 24th place qualify for the knockout-phase play-off. Teams finishing between ninth and 16th will be seeded and will host the second leg.

Teams who finish the league phase 25th or lower are out and do not drop into the Europa League.