UEFA Champions League 2026-27 — the complete guide
Europe's club championship runs on its new league-phase format for a third season: 36 clubs in one table, eight matches each, and a road that ends at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid on 5 June 2027. Paris Saint-Germain arrive as defending champions.
How it works
All 36 clubs sit in a single league table. Each club plays eight matches against eight different opponents — four at home, four away — drawn from four seeding pots.
The top eight in the table go straight into the round of 16. Clubs finishing 9th to 24th play a two-legged play-off for the remaining last-16 places; clubs 25th to 36th are eliminated, with no drop into the Europa League.
From the round of 16 onward it is a straight two-legged knockout, settled by a one-off final.
Key dates
League phase draw27 August 2026
League phase matchday 18-10 September 2026
League phase final matchday27 January 2027
Knockout play-offs16-24 February 2027
Round of 169-17 March 2027
Quarter-finals6-14 April 2027
Semi-finals27 April - 5 May 2027
Final — Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid5 June 2027
Where to watch
Argentina: FOX Sports Argentina, ESPN
Australia: Stan Sport
Bangladesh: Sony, SonyLIV, Tapmad
Brazil: TNT Sports, SBT, Disney+
Canada: DAZN
France: Canal+, M6
Germany: DAZN, Amazon Prime Video
India: Sony Sports Network, SonyLIV, DAZN
Ireland: RTÉ, Virgin Media, Premier Sports, Amazon Prime Video