2026/27 TOURNAMENT
The official format.
Clearly sourced.
The competition’s stages, draw system, league ranking rules, tie-breakers and final information, verified against UEFA’s 2026/27 regulations and overview.
Current status:Twenty-nine clubs are confirmed for the league phase. Seven places remain available through qualifying: five via the champions path and two via the league path. UEFA marks the current club list as provisional and based on sporting performance; disciplinary, licensing or other legal proceedings may still affect it.
Qualification
Twenty-nine clubs qualify directly for the league phase. Seven places are decided through qualifying: five from the champions path and two from the league path. Qualifying ties and play-offs are normally played over two legs.
League-phase draw
The 36 clubs are divided into four pots of nine. Each club is drawn against two opponents from each pot, playing one at home and one away. In principle, clubs from the same association cannot meet, and a club can face no more than two opponents from another single association.
League phase
Every club plays eight different opponents in single-leg matches: four home and four away. A win is worth three points, a draw one and a loss zero. All 36 clubs are ranked in one table.
Qualification zones
Positions 1–8 qualify directly for the round of 16. Positions 9–24 enter the knockout phase play-offs. Positions 25–36 are eliminated from European competition.
Knockout phase
All knockout rounds before the final are normally played over two legs. League-phase ranking determines seeded pairs and bracket positions; higher-ranked seeded clubs are generally scheduled to play second legs at home.
Final
The final is scheduled for Saturday 5 June 2027 at Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid. It will be Madrid’s sixth European Cup/Champions League final and the second at this stadium.
OFFICIAL DRAW DATES
Draw calendar.
EQUALITY OF POINTS
Official league-phase tie-breakers.
Applied in this exact order after completion of the league phase.
- 01
Superior goal difference in the league phase
- 02
Higher number of goals scored
- 03
Higher number of away goals scored
- 04
Higher number of wins
- 05
Higher number of away wins
- 06
Higher collective points total of league-phase opponents
- 07
Superior collective goal difference of league-phase opponents
- 08
Higher collective goals scored by league-phase opponents
- 09
Lower disciplinary points total
- 10
Higher UEFA club coefficient
ALL STAGES
Official competition dates.
Dates may be changed by UEFA.
First qualifying round
7/8 & 14/15 July 2026
Second qualifying round
21/22 & 28/29 July 2026
Third qualifying round
4/5 & 11 August 2026
Play-offs
18/19 & 25/26 August 2026
Matchday 1
8–10 September 2026
Matchday 2
13/14 October 2026
Matchday 3
20/21 October 2026
Matchday 4
3/4 November 2026
Matchday 5
24/25 November 2026
Matchday 6
8/9 December 2026
Matchday 7
19/20 January 2027
Matchday 8
27 January 2027
Knockout phase play-offs
16/17 & 23/24 February 2027
Round of 16
9/10 & 16/17 March 2027
Quarter-finals
6/7 & 13/14 April 2027
Semi-finals
27/28 April & 4/5 May 2027
Final — Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid
Saturday 5 June 2027