Champions League 2025/26: How does league phase work?
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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.
Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle United qualified through league finish, Tottenham Hotspur entered as Europa League winners.
Newcastle finished fifth in the Premier League, narrowly edging out Aston Villa on goal difference after a tense final day.
Crucially, England earned an additional Champions League spot through UEFA's new European Performance Spots system, which is awarded to the top two countries who performed the best in UEFA competitions that season based on a coefficient ranking.
This allowed Newcastle to qualify despite finishing outside the traditional top four, marking a new milestone under the rules.
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Who are the Champions League favourites?
Opta's supercomputer puts the focus firmly on the Premier League
Chelsea, meanwhile, sit just behind on 7.3 per cent.
Newcastle are ranked ninth overall at 3.2 per cent, while Spurs, back in the Champions League as Europa League winners, are rated 13th with 1.2 per cent.
The probabilities underline that Liverpool and Arsenal carry the strongest hopes among the Premier League contingent, but with six English clubs involved, the competition could once again be shaped by the depth of English football.
How many points will be enough to reach the round of 16?
Last season showed the value of early momentum
Anything less than eight points left clubs on the brink of elimination.
When are the 2025/26 Champions League league-stage matches?
Matchday 1: September 16-18, 2025
Matchday 2: September 30 - October 1, 2025
Matchday 3: October 21-22, 2025
Matchday 4: November 4-5, 2025
Matchday 5: November 25-26, 2025
Matchday 6: December 9-10, 2025
Matchday 7: January 20-21, 2026
Matchday 8: January 28, 2026
Tottenham Hotspur's Djed Spence celebrates with the UEFA Europa League trophy after their 1-0 win over Man Utd in May's final in Bilbao booked their place in the Champions League