The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League is set to be one of the most exciting editions yet, featuring a new format that expands the tournament from 32 to 36 teams in the league phase.
The revamped competition structure means more matches, more drama, and a wider variety of clubs competing on Europe’s grandest stage. With domestic leagues now concluded across Europe, the list of qualified teams is beginning to take shape, including clubs earning their place through domestic performance, title victories, and new “European Performance Spots” awarded to nations with the best UEFA coefficients.
Who has qualified for Champions League 2025-26?
Several clubs have already secured their place in the 2025-26 Champions League. In the Premier League, Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Chelsea are set to qualify directly through their league positions as things stand. England also earned one of the additional European Performance Spots due to strong results in European competitions during the 2024-25 season, which means the fifth-placed Premier League team will enter the tournament.
| Country | Teams |
|---|---|
| England | Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle United, Chelsea |
| Italy | Napoli, Inter, Atalanta, Juventus |
| Spain | Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Athletic Club |
| Germany | Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Dortmund |
| France | Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Monaco |
| Netherlands | Ajax, PSV |
| Portugal | Sporting CP |
| Belgium | Union Saint-Gilloise |
| Turkey | Galatasaray |
| Czech Republic | Slavia Praha |
| Champions League winner rebalancing | Olympiacos |
| European Performance Spots | Villarreal, Aston Villa |
| Qualifying rounds – champions path
|
TBC |
| Qualifying rounds – league path | TBC |
Table updated as of May 18, 2025
In Spain, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, and Athletic Club are set to qualify through La Liga. Villarreal could join them thanks to Spain receiving one of the two European Performance Spots.
From Italy, Napoli, Inter Milan, Atalanta, and Juventus will represent Serie A, while Germany’s contingent includes Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Dortmund.
France will have three clubs in the main competition: Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, and Monaco, all of whom secured qualification spots in Ligue 1. Ajax and PSV will represent the Netherlands, while Portugal’s Sporting CP, Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise, Türkiye’s Galatasaray, and Czech side Slavia Praha are among the other confirmed qualifiers. Greece’s Olympiacos has earned a place due to rebalancing rules that take effect if the Champions League or Europa League winners also qualify through domestic leagues.
The Champions League and Europa League title holders for the 2024-25 season will also gain automatic entry into the competition, although those teams have yet to be confirmed.
What are the European Performance Spots?
As with last season under UEFA’s revamped competition structure, the European Performance Spots are awarded to the two associations whose clubs achieve the strongest overall results in UEFA men’s club competitions over the course of the season. These spots are based on the association club coefficient for the current campaign, calculated by taking the total number of coefficient points earned by all clubs from an association and dividing it by the number of clubs representing that nation.
The two associations with the highest average scores at the end of the season each receive one additional automatic place in the Champions League league phase for the following year. This spot is granted to the next-best placed team in the domestic league standings that has not already qualified directly.
For the 2025-26 season, England and Spain have confirmed their positions in the top two of the 2024-25 association club coefficient rankings. As a result, both nations have been awarded a European Performance Spot, allowing Chelsea and Villarreal, respectively, to join their fellow domestic qualifiers in the expanded 36-team league phase.
When will Champions League 2025-26 begin?
The 2025-26 Champions League will begin with the first qualifying rounds starting on 8 July 2025. These early stages will feature several teams from various national leagues competing in the Champions Path and League Path, hoping to claim one of the seven remaining spots in the tournament. The new format means that 36 teams will participate in the main league stage, up from 32 in previous years.
This league phase kicks off on 16 September 2025 and will feature each team playing eight matches against different opponents, replacing the old group-stage system.
Where & when will Champions League 2025-26 final be held?
The final of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League will be held at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary. This will be the first time the Hungarian capital hosts a Champions League final, and the event promises to be a historic occasion for the city and the country. The match is scheduled for 30 May 2026, marking the culmination of a season that will be unlike any before it under UEFA’s new competition structure.
With a new format, fresh contenders, and the allure of Budapest as the final’s host city, the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League is shaping up to be a memorable campaign from start to finish.
Credit: GOAL.com
