The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League marks the 71st season of Europe's premier club competition and the 34th since its rebranding. The tournament commenced on 8 July 2025 and will culminate with the final in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday, 30 May 2026. It is important to note that these dates are subject to change.

Teams Competing in the League Phase

This season features a diverse lineup of teams from across Europe. From England, the clubs participating include Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Newcastle. Italy is represented by Napoli, Inter, Atalanta, and Juventus, while Spain boasts Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Athletic Club, and Villarreal. German teams Bayern München, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Borussia Dortmund will also compete.

France's representatives are Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, and Monaco. The Netherlands will see PSV and Ajax, while Portugal has Benfica and Sporting CP. Other notable participants include Club Brugge and Union SG from Belgium, Galatasaray from Türkiye, Slavia Praha from Czechia, Bodø/Glimt from Norway, Olympiacos from Greece, Copenhagen from Denmark, Pafos from Cyprus, Qarabağ from Azerbaijan, and Kairat Almaty from Kazakhstan. Notably, 29 teams qualified automatically through their domestic league standings or as holders of the Champions League and UEFA Europa League titles.

Format and Seeding Changes

This season introduces important changes to the tournament's format. The league phase rankings will now play a crucial role in seeding for the quarter-finals and semi-finals, in addition to determining the seeding for the knockout phase play-offs and round of 16, as was already established in the previous season. Teams that finish in the top four positions at the end of the league phase will be seeded for the quarter-finals and will have the advantage of hosting the second leg of their quarter-final ties, should they progress. Similarly, the top two teams will enjoy the same benefit for the semi-finals.

As the tournament unfolds, fans can anticipate an exciting season filled with high-stakes matches and the potential for dramatic moments as clubs vie for European glory.