When is the UEFA Champions League draw? What to know about format
The 2026-27 UEFA Champions League draw for the league phase of the tournament will be held on Thursday, Aug. 27 in Monaco.
The UEFA Champions League draw for the 2026-27 season is scheduled for Thursday, August 27 at noon ET in Monaco. Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning champions, are looking to become the first team to successfully defend their title for three consecutive years. Real Madrid, with 15 Champions League titles, represents one of the main threats to Paris Saint-Germain's hopes of a record-breaking third consecutive win.
The 36 participating clubs are grouped into four pots based on UEFA rankings and cannot face teams from their own country or be matched against more than two opponents from another country. The league phase, which takes place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays through January, sees each club play eight matches. The top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16, while the teams ranked ninth to 24th compete in knockout playoffs in February to secure their spots in the knockout round.
The remaining 16 teams will then face off in the traditional knockout bracket, with the top eight seeds holding an advantage.
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