The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase draw takes place on Thursday, 27 August, when the 36 participating clubs will discover their eight opponents. FanSeats will have tickets to all Champions League fixtures and with the new format, there promises to be some fantastic matches.
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United will represent England in this season’s competition. They could be handed some enormous fixtures against the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid and defending champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Here is everything you need to know about the Champions League draw, including the start time, draw format, pots and some of the biggest potential fixtures.
When is the 2026/27 Champions League draw?
The 2026/27 Champions League league phase draw begins at 5pm BST on Thursday, 27 August 2026.
The draw will determine the eight opponents each club faces during the league phase. Exact match dates and kick-off times will be confirmed after the draw has been completed.
How does the Champions League draw work?
The Champions League league phase contains 36 teams divided across four pots.
Each team will be drawn against:
- Two teams from Pot 1
- Two teams from Pot 2
- Two teams from Pot 3
- Two teams from Pot 4
Every club will play four matches at home and four away. Teams cannot face another club from their own national association during the league phase, although clubs from the same country can meet later in the knockout rounds.
The top eight teams in the final league table will qualify directly for the round of 16. Teams finishing from ninth to 24th will enter the knockout phase play-offs, while the remaining clubs will be eliminated from European competition.
Champions League draw pots
The final composition of Pots 3 and 4 will be completed following the remaining qualifying play-offs.
Pot 1
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Bayern Munich
- Real Madrid
- Liverpool
- Inter Milan
- Manchester City
- Arsenal
- FC Barcelona
- Atletico Madrid
Pot 2
- Aston Villa
- Manchester United
- Borussia Dortmund
- AS Roma
- Sporting Portugal
- FC Porto
- Club Brugge
- PSV Eindhoven
- Real Betis
Pot 3
- Feyenoord
- Lille
- Napoli
- RB Leipzig
- Villarreal
- Shakhtar Donetsk
- Galatasaray
- Fenerbahce or Lyon
Pot 3 or Pot 4
- NEC Nijmegen or Bodo/Glimt
- Dinamo Zagreb or Viking
- Celtic or LASK
- Slavia Prague
Pot 4
- Slovan Bratislava or Celje
- VfB Stuttgart
- Levski Sofia or AEK Athens
- Como
- RC Lens
- Hapoel Be’er Sheva or Sabah
Who could Arsenal face?
Arsenal are in Pot 1 and will face two other Pot 1 clubs, as well as two opponents from each of the other three pots.
Mikel Arteta’s side cannot be drawn against Liverpool or Manchester City during the league phase. However, Arsenal could be given a major fixture against Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain.
Some of the biggest potential Arsenal matches include:
Arsenal could also meet Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Galatasaray, RB Leipzig, Sporting Portugal or FC Porto.
Supporters can compare availability for every confirmed match on our Arsenal Champions League tickets page after the draw.
Who could Liverpool face?
Liverpool are also included in Pot 1. They cannot face Arsenal or Manchester City in the league phase but could be drawn against any of the six non-English clubs in their pot.
Potential headline fixtures include:
Liverpool could also be drawn against Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Galatasaray or RB Leipzig.
Visit our Liverpool Champions League tickets page to compare ticket prices and availability for Liverpool’s confirmed European matches.
Who could Manchester City face?
Manchester City are among the nine clubs in Pot 1. Their possible opponents from the same pot include Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
The biggest potential Manchester City fixtures include:
City could also face Manchester United or Aston Villa’s Pot 2 opponents, including Borussia Dortmund, AS Roma, Sporting Portugal, FC Porto and PSV Eindhoven. However, City cannot face Manchester United or Aston Villa themselves during the league phase.
Compare prices for City’s confirmed matches through our Manchester City Champions League tickets page.
Who could Manchester United face?
Manchester United are in Pot 2 and will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots.
Their potential Pot 1 opponents include Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. United cannot face Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City or Aston Villa during the league phase.
Potential headline matches include:
United could also be drawn against Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Galatasaray, Feyenoord, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, FC Porto or Sporting Portugal.
Supporters can find all confirmed matches on our Manchester United Champions League tickets page.
Who could Aston Villa face?
Aston Villa return to the Champions League and will be placed in Pot 2.
Villa cannot face Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City or Manchester United during the league phase. Their possible Pot 1 opponents include Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
Some of the biggest possible fixtures include:
Other potential opponents include Borussia Dortmund, AS Roma, Napoli, Galatasaray, RB Leipzig, Villarreal and PSV Eindhoven.
Visit our Aston Villa Champions League tickets page after the draw to compare tickets for Villa’s confirmed fixtures.
What are the biggest potential Champions League fixtures?
Several major European matches could be produced by the draw.
Real Madrid could be drawn against Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Arsenal or Manchester City. Barcelona could also face Bayern, Inter, Paris Saint-Germain or one of the three English teams in Pot 1.
Manchester United and Aston Villa could each be handed two heavyweight Pot 1 opponents, while clubs such as Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Galatasaray and RB Leipzig could produce some of the most attractive matches outside the top two pots.
The draw will determine which teams play at home, meaning a potential matchup could be staged in either club’s stadium.
When will Champions League tickets be available?
Ticket availability will begin appearing after UEFA confirms the draw and complete fixture schedule.
FanSeats compares Champions League ticket prices from established ticket providers, helping supporters review available seating options in one place. FanSeats is a comparison platform and does not sell tickets directly.
Visit our main Champions League tickets page to find fixtures, compare prices and check ticket availability throughout the 2026/27 competition.
This page will be updated after the draw with the confirmed league-phase fixtures.
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