UEFA Champions League · 2026/27
Champions League 2026/27
PSG chase a three-peat, 36 clubs chase them, and it all ends at the Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid on June 5, 2027. Every kickoff below is converted to your timezone.
This week in the Champions League
Qualifying rounds — times in your timezoneQualifying runs all summer: Q2 legs July 21-22 & 28-29 · Q3 August 4-5 & 11 · playoff round August 18-19 & 25-26. Seven qualifiers join the 29 automatic entries at the draw.
Key dates — 2026/27 Champions League
Verified against UEFA's published calendar. Tap + Cal to drop a date into your own calendar.
| Stage | When | |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying rounds | Jul 7 – Aug 26, 2026 — under way now | |
| League phase draw | Thu Aug 27, 2026 | |
| Matchday 1 | Sep 8–10, 2026 | |
| Matchday 2 | Oct 13–14, 2026 | |
| Matchday 3 | Oct 20–21, 2026 | |
| Matchday 4 | Nov 3–4, 2026 | |
| Matchday 5 | Nov 24–25, 2026 | |
| Matchday 6 | Dec 8–9, 2026 | |
| Matchday 7 | Jan 19–20, 2027 | |
| Matchday 8 (all 18 games at once) | Jan 27, 2027 | |
| Knockout playoffs | Feb 16–17 & 23–24, 2027 | |
| Round of 16 | Mar 9–10 & 16–17, 2027 | |
| Quarter-finals | Apr 6–7 & 13–14, 2027 | |
| Semi-finals | Apr 27–28 & May 4–5, 2027 | |
| Final — Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid | Sat Jun 5, 2027 |
How the 36-team format works
No more groups. All 36 clubs sit in one league table, each playing eight different opponents — four at home, four away. Then the table splits:
Finish 25th–36th and the season is over — there's no drop into the Europa League any more.
League phase table
Live once Matchday 1 kicks offThe 36-team table appears here the moment the league phase starts on September 8, 2026. Until then, follow qualifying above — seven of these teams are still fighting their way in.
Most European Cups — the wall PSG are climbing
European Cup / Champions League titles, 1956–2026PSG's back-to-back titles (2025, 2026) made them the first repeat champions since Real Madrid's 2016–18 three-peat — the treble they're now chasing.
The holders
Paris Saint-Germain retained the trophy on May 30, 2026, beating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest — Kai Havertz scored inside 5 minutes, Ousmane Dembélé levelled from the spot. No club has won three straight since UEFA rebranded the competition in 1992. That's the story of 2026/27.
Where to watch
US viewers: Paramount+ / CBS Sports carry the Champions League. UK: TNT Sports. Rights vary by country — Sports Always keeps the day-by-day answer current.
Common questions
When does the 2026/27 Champions League start?
Qualifying is already under way (second qualifying round legs on July 21-22 and 28-29, 2026). The league phase draw is on August 27, 2026, and league phase Matchday 1 runs September 8-10, 2026. The final is at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid on June 5, 2027.
Who are the current Champions League holders?
Paris Saint-Germain are back-to-back champions. They beat Arsenal 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the 2026 final at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on May 30, 2026, adding to their 2025 title.
How does the 36-team format work?
All 36 clubs play in one league table — eight matches each against eight different opponents, four home and four away. The top 8 go straight to the Round of 16; teams placed 9th-24th contest a two-legged knockout playoff in February; the bottom 12 are eliminated with no drop into the Europa League.
Where is the 2027 final?
At the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, on Saturday June 5, 2027 — Atlético Madrid's home, which last staged the final in 2019.
What time are games in my timezone?
European kickoffs are usually 18:45 and 21:00 CET — 12:45pm and 3pm US Eastern, 9:45am and 12pm Pacific. The fixture list above converts every kickoff to your device's timezone (—) automatically.
More on Matchday
Europa League 2026/27 hub → · Today's live scores → · Premier League on TV → · World Cup 2026 archive →