When is the Champions League draw? Liverpool set to discover 2025/26 league phase opponents

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.

Liverpool will find out their UEFA Champions League opponents in the draw this Thursday(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)

In Arne Slot's first season charge it was the Premier League title, now the head coach will have his eye on Champions League glory in his second year with Liverpool.

In a matter of days the Reds are set to discover who their eight opponents will be in the competition's opening league phase.

Liverpool are back amongst Europe's elite in 2025/26 having qualified as part of the Premier League's top-four last season alongside Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea.



Because of English clubs' collective performance in all UEFA competitions last term Newcastle United also gained entry by finishing fifth, meanwhile Tottenham Hotspur join as the latest Europa League winners.

The Reds remain England's most successful Champions League club having lifted the trophy six times between its current name and the days it was simply referred to as the European Cup.

READ MORE:Virgil van Dijk speaks out Anthony Gordon 'beef' as Rio Ngumoha message sent after Liverpool heroicsREAD MORE:Alexander Isak transfer latest as Newcastle United attempt fails with Liverpool waiting

But a revamped format of the competition presents a challenge to Liverpool again this season - one they failed to overcome last time.

Ahead of the 2024/25 campaign UEFA confirmed 36 teams would be entering the Champions League, not 32 like before.

A club is drawn against eight different opponents in the new league phase, they will face four at home and the other four on away soil.

The top eight by the end of the league phase automatically qualify for the round of 16, those that place between ninth and 24th are entered into the play-off round, and those that finish 25th or lower are dumped out altogether.

Liverpool adjusted to life under Slot well after he took over last year and ended up the first-ever first-placed finishers of the league phase last season, winning seven before losing their final fixture having already secured progression.

On paper this was meant to grant the Reds a favourable tie in the round of 16, though they would go on to face the Champions League's eventual overall winners, Paris Saint-Germain, and were knocked out after a penalty shoot-out at Anfield.

So Liverpool are back again in search of European title No.7, ready to learn their league phase opposition in the upcoming draw.

The league phase draw for the 2025/26 Champions League takes place on Thursday, August 28.

This procedure will continue until the fixtures for all 36 teams have been decided.

UEFA are then set to finalise and publish the league phase fixture list with match dates and kick-off times no later than Saturday, August 30.