Champions League Draw 2025-26: Pots Defined, New Format and Calendar

Champions League Draw Pots Defined

Following the completion of the play-off round, the pots for the UEFA Champions League draw to be held on Thursday have been determined. This draw will mark the second occasion in which the new format is used, involving the 36 teams in a single classification table. The draw will begin at 5 p.m. (UK time) / noon (Eastern time). The first matches are scheduled to be played between September 16 and 18. UEFA is expected to publish the full match schedule on Saturday. The league phase will extend until January, with the 18 matches of the final day, on January 28, being played simultaneously. Instead of dividing the teams into groups, the draw will define eight matchups for each club. Each team will play two matches against rivals from each of the four pots, one at home and one away. Because teams now face clubs from their own pot, the advantage of being in Pot 1 no longer exists. In previous seasons, being in Pot 1 allowed avoiding matches against the strongest clubs in the tournament. Previously, Pot 1 housed the Champions League and Europa League champions, as well as the champions of the six most important national leagues. Pots 2 to 4 were organized according to the strength of the teams, based on the UEFA club coefficient, which evaluates performance in Europe over the last five seasons. Now, only the Champions League champion will automatically be in Pot 1, while the rest of the positions will be determined by the UEFA club coefficient. However, the six non-English teams in Pot 1 of the Champions League draw will have to face two Premier League clubs. This restriction is due to the rule that prevents clubs from the same country from facing each other in the league phase. The final of this season will be held at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday, May 30.