Champions League Draw for 2025–26 Season: Which Teams Are in Which Pots? Rules Explained

The stage is set once again for Europe’s biggest club competition. The 2025–26 UEFA Champions League officially kicks off with Thursday’s league-phase draw in Monaco (12 p.m. ET), where 36 clubs will learn the opponents that stand between them and continental glory.

This season promises more heavyweight clashes than ever, with Europe’s top leagues tightening their grip on the competition. The usual four spots per country isn’t enough this time. England has six representatives while Spain has five, thanks to UEFA’s ranking allocations and Tottenham’s Europa League triumph last season.

🆕 2025/26 league phase line-up!#UCLdraw | #UCL pic.twitter.com/K7c5CNlmpx
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 27, 2025

The Four UCL Pots for Champions League 2025–26

It’s a Champions League lineup dripping with quality. La Liga is represented by Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao. The Premier League boasts Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle, Chelsea and Tottenham. Germany has Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt, while Italy’s charge is led by Napoli, Inter Milan, Atalanta and Juventus. Meanwhile, defending champions PSG, Marseille and Monaco will carry the French hopes.

Pot 1: PSG, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Inter, Chelsea, Dortmund, Barcelona
Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Club Brugge, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, Benfica
Pot 3: Tottenham, PSV, Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Bodo/Glimt, Marseille
Pot 4: Monaco, Galatasaray, Copenhagen, Union Saint-Gilloise, Athletic Bilbao, Qarabag, Newcastle, Pafos, Kairat

ALSO READ: Bayern Munich in Talks with Dayot Upamecano Over New Contract

Champions League Draw Rules for 2025–26 Season Explained

Like last season, the Champions League will feature a league-style format with all 36 clubs placed into a single table. Each team will play eight games – four at home and four away – against opponents spread across the four pots.

The draw is carried out by computer, ensuring:

Each side is paired with two opponents from every pot.
Teams cannot face sides from the same country.
No club can draw more than two opponents from the same league.

The top eight teams after the league stage advance straight to the Round of 16, while places 9–24 go into a two-legged playoff to complete the knockout lineup.

Where will you be watching the #UCLdraw? ⌚@Hublot | #UCLkickoffs pic.twitter.com/Cp3K6bfyJ5
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 28, 2025

ALSO READ: Champions League Draw for 2025-26 Season – When, Where, Teams for League Phase, and More

What Makes This Season Different

UEFA has confirmed a major rule change to the Champions League knockout stage. It has replaced the random allocation of home advantage for second legs with a system that rewards league phase performance. Notably, the move was sparked by widespread criticism during Arsenal’s 2024/25 campaign.

From the 2025/26 season onwards, teams finishing higher in the league phase will automatically host the second leg of any two-legged knockout tie. This rule will be applicaple in the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, and the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

Champions League

UEFA Champions League

Abhinav Goel

soccer

I am a soccer writer at The PlayOffs, covering everything from match analysis to transfer buzz and tactical deep dives. Ever since I was a kid, soccer has been more than just a sport to me—it’s been an obsession. Playing and watching the game from a young age fueled my passion, eventually leading me into the world of sports media and betting. Now, I get to analyze the sport I love and bring the latest updates to fans worldwide.