The UEFA Champions League is currently in a transitional phase, having wrapped up the 2025-26 season while gearing up for the 2026-27 edition. With the new expanded format featuring a 36-team league phase, clubs across Europe are actively preparing for the upcoming qualifying rounds.

Current Status of the Champions League

As of late June 2026, the Champions League is in an inter-season period. The 2025-26 season concluded with its final match held in late May 2026. The new season is now administratively underway, although the marquee fixtures involving the continent's top clubs will not commence until autumn. The qualifying rounds, which typically begin in late June or early July, will start with the preliminary round, followed by the first, second, and third qualifying rounds, culminating in the play-offs.

Qualifying Rounds and Club Participation

The clubs participating in the early qualifying stages are primarily champions and high-ranking teams from Europe’s smaller leagues, all vying for a limited number of spots in the main tournament. While some initial matches are already scheduled to take place at neutral or smaller venues, the focus remains on the Premier League giants, such as Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool, as they prepare for the expanded league phase.

New Format for the 2026-27 Campaign

A significant change for the upcoming season is the introduction of a single 36-team league phase, replacing the previous 32-team group stage format. In this new setup, all qualified clubs will be placed in one large table and will compete in eight league-phase matches against various opponents. This shift from the traditional home-and-away format allows for more diverse matchups. The top eight teams in the league table will advance directly to the round of 16, while those finishing from ninth to 24th will enter two-legged play-offs to secure their spots in the knockout stages.

As the Champions League evolves, clubs and fans alike are eagerly anticipating how the new format will impact the competition and the broader landscape of European football.