Riding a sudden wave of popularity off the back of Gianni Infantino’s latest antics, UEFA is readying itself for another season of Champions League soccer.
The novelty of the new format somewhat wore off in its second iteration, and there’s no doubt that the bloated league phase will once again draw criticism amid ever-increasing fears over player welfare. The 2026 World Cup extended the seasons of so many, and the 2026–27 calendar is unlikely to offer much respite.
The draw for the league phase is upcoming, and automation is set to come to the fore once more. Gone are the days of man-staffed Champions League draws, with artificial intelligence (as well as the format change) facilitating far greater efficiency but considerably less excitement.
Here are all the confirmed teams for the 2026–27 Champions League and their respective pot placements for the league phase draw.
2026–27 Champions League Confirmed Teams
PSG are aiming to win a third consecutive Champions League. | Kevin Voigt/Getty Images
The 36 teams competing in the 2026–27 will be confirmed after the playoffs, with seven spots still up for grabs.
The Premier League and La Liga are the two most heavily represented divisions, with five teams from each qualifying for the league phase. Of these 10 teams, six (Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid) will be drawn from Pot 1.
Last season’s finalists Arsenal have leapfrogged Borussia Dortmund on the coefficient front, finding themselves in the premier pot. Holders Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan join the aforementioned six in Pot 1.
Europa League winners Aston Villa are in Pot 2, having reached the quarterfinals of this competition two seasons ago. They’re joined by Manchester United, back in the big time after a two-year absence. Despite Roma and Real Betis’s lengthy waits to return to the Champions League, both clubs find themselves in Pot 2.
Sporting CP, Porto, Club Brugge and PSV Eindhoven have also been admitted to Pot 2, having emerged as regulars in the competition this decade.
While Pots 1 and 2 are decided, gaps still need to be filled in Pots 3 and 4. We know that Feyenoord, Lille, RB Leipzig, Napoli, Villarreal, Galatasaray and Shakhtar Donetsk will occupy the former, while Slavia Prague, Stuttgart, Como and Lens sit in the latter.
As it stands, Serie A outfit Como are the only Champions League debutants in the 2026–27 league phase.
When is the 2026–27 Champions League League Phase Draw
The draw for the 2026–27 league phase takes place on Aug. 27—the day after the playoffs conclude.
The automated draw will take place at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, likely starting at 5 p.m. BST, 12 p.m. ET, 9 a.m. PT
2026–27 Champions League League Phase Projected Pots
*To be confirmed
Pot 1
Club
Country
UEFA Coefficient
Paris Saint-Germain (holders)
France
132.000
Bayern Munich
Germany
147.500
Real Madrid
Spain
144.500
Liverpool
England
130.000
Inter Milan
Italy
127.000
Man City
England
125.500
Arsenal
England
119.000
Barcelona
Spain
113.250
Atlético Madrid
Spain
104.750
Pot 2
Club
Country
UEFA Coefficient
Borussia Dortmund
Germany
100.750
Roma
Italy
97.750
Sporting CP
Portugal
84.000
Aston Villa
England
83.000
Porto
Portugal
80.750
Man Utd
England
76.500
Club Brugge
Belgium
75.250
Real Betis
Spain
74.500
PSV Eindhoven
Netherlands
71.250
Pot 3
Club
Country
UEFA Coefficient
Feyenoord
Netherlands
71.000
Lille
France
68.750
Lyon*
France
65.750
Bodø/Glimt*
Norway
64.000
Napoli
Italy
63.000
RB Leipzig
Germany
61.000
Villarreal
Spain
59.000
Shakhtar Donetsk
Ukraine
56.250
Galatasaray
Türkiye
53.500
Pot 4
Club
Country
UEFA Coefficient
Dinamo Zagreb*
Croatia
46.500
Celtic*
Scotland
44.000
Slavia Prague
Czechia
44.000
Slovan Bratislava*
Slovakia
36.000
Stuttgart
Germany
27.500
AEK Athens*
Greece
24.000
Como
Italy
19.989
Lens
France
16.699
AGF*
Denmark
8.421
When is The 2026–27 Champions League Final?
The Metropolitano hosts its second Champions League final. | Bradley Collyer/PA Images/Getty Images
The two finalists will convene in Madrid for the 2027 Champions League final, with the Spanish capital hosting the competition’s showpiece event for the third time since 2010.
Atlético Madrid’s Riyadh Air Metropolitano will stage its second final since opening in 2017, having hosted the drab 2019 final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
The final is scheduled for Saturday, June 5, 2027.
READ THE LATEST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NEWS, PREVIEWS AND PLAYER RATINGS
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow