Champions League 2025/26: How does league phase and knockout qualification work?
Champions League league-phase returns with six English clubs in the mix; Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea, Spurs and Newcastle face eight matches across Europe; the top eight go straight to the round of 16; ninth to 24th reach the play-offs
Monday 29 December 2025 14:36, UK
The Champions League is back with six English clubs involved and the league phase format here to stay – here’s everything you need to know...
How does the Champions League 'league phase' format work in 2025/26?
This is only the second year under UEFA's new structure. Gone are the familiar eight groups; instead, 36 clubs now sit in one league table. Each team faces eight different opponents, split evenly between home and away fixtures.
Three points are awarded for a win and one for a draw, but qualification is no longer straightforward. The top 8 teams after Matchday 8 progress directly to the round of 16. Clubs finishing between 9th and 24th must negotiate a two-legged play-off to reach the knockouts. The bottom 12 are eliminated entirely, with no second chance in the Europa League.
Who are the Champions League favourites?
Arsenal's positive start to the Champions League campaign has been rewarded in the Opta Supercomputer race.
The Gunners have already secured their top-eight finish - so a last-16 spot - after winning all of their opening six league phase encounters.
Mikel Arteta's side have been given a 25 per cent chance of going all the way, which is a nine per cent higher likelihood than second-favourites Bayern Munich.
Manchester City are third favourites with a 14.7 per cent chance of winning the whole competition. They have a 91.3 per cent chance of a top-eight finish.
Liverpool are fifth-favourites with a 5.9 per cent chance of winning the trophy. Chelsea are seventh-favourites, while Newcastle and Spurs rank 11th and 13th respectively.
How many points will be enough to reach the round of 16?
The short answer is: nobody knows for sure. Given the complex situation of 36 teams playing each other in one league and only playing eight games, there is not a 100 per cent scenario.
The Opta supercomputer believes 16 points from a possible 24 - so five wins and a draw from eight matches, or other combinations - would almost certainly be enough to finish in the top eight, which guarantees you a last-16 spot in the New Year.
The data also believes 15 points - so five wins from eight games, or other combinations - could be enough to sneak into eighth place, with that points tally being enough in 73 per cent of Opta's 50,000 simulations of the league phase.
Fourteen points, so four wins and two draws or other combinations, is unlikely to be enough for a top-eight finish - so the race to five wins is likely to be the target for the biggest sides.
To finish in the top 24, which guarantees you a play-off spot at least, Opta believes 10 points - so three wins and a draw, or other combinations - will almost certainly guarantee you a place in that round.
It means teams who win in the opening round of Champions League fixtures need just seven points from the remaining seven games to guarantee themselves a play-off spot.
Nine points - so three wins from eight games, or other combinations - could be enough to finish 24th, with that points tally being enough in 69 per cent of the simulations.
But just eight points - so two wins and two draws, or other combinations - runs the risk of elimination, with that points tally being sufficient in just 16 per cent of the simulations.
Does it matter where you finish in the Champions League table?
Yes, especially if you finish in the top eight.
A new rule designed for this season means a higher finish gives you an easier Champions League knockout route in terms of home advantage.
Teams who finished in the top four positions in the Champions League table will be given home second legs for the last 16 and quarter-final rounds.
And the top two teams in the Champions League table will also be given second-leg home advantages in the semi-final stage.
For teams ranked ninth to 24th, the exact league position matters because ties are drawn based on league phase placings. In the play-off round, 9th will play 24th, 10th will play 23rd and so on.
So a team who just missed out on the top eight will be 'rewarded' by facing a team towards the bottom of the league phase, who may have just scraped through.
When are the remaining 2025/26 Champions League league-stage matches?
Matchday 7: January 20-21, 2026
Matchday 8: January 28, 2026
When are the 2025/26 Champions League knockout stages?
Play-off draw: January 30, 2026
Knockout play-offs: February 17-18 and 24-25, 2026
Round of 16: March 10-11 and 17-18, 2026
Quarter-finals: April 7-8 and 14-15, 2026
Semi-finals: April 28-29 and May 5-6, 2026
Final: Saturday, May 30, 2026
Where is the Champions League final being held in 2026?
The 2025/26 Champions League final will take place in Budapest at the Puskas Arena on Saturday May 30.
