European football fans are eager to watch emerging talents in the UEFA Champions League 2026-27 season. The new UEFA Champions League will begin with the qualifying rounds, then progress to the league phase and the final. In addition, the Champions League is one of the most prestigious club football competitions in the world. This tournament will mark the 72nd edition of the UEFA Champions League. Meanwhile, the Metropolitano Stadium will host the UEFA Champions League final for the second time in its history.
Several players are well-prepared to deliver a historic victory for their club’s supporters. The new season will introduce minor changes, with plenty of excitement and standout club performances throughout the competition. The UEFA Champions League winners will automatically qualify for the 2027-28 UCL League phase. Additionally, they qualify for the 2027 FIFA Intercontinental Cup final and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup. The 2026-27 UCL champions will face the 2026-27 UEL champions in the 2027 UEFA Super Cup.
Event Details for the UEFA Champions League 2026-27
Main Event: UEFA Champions League 2026-27
Starts On: July 7, 2026.
Qualifying Ends: August 26, 2026
Knockout Phase Play-offs: February 16-17 and 23-24, 2027
Round of 16: March 9-10 and 16-17, 2027
Quarter-finals: April 6-7 and 13-14, 2027
Semi-finals: 27-28 April and 4-5 May 2027
Final: June 5, 2027
Champions from the Previous Season
| s | Country | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Country |
| 1955-56 | Spain | Real Madrid | 4-3 | Reims | France |
| 1956-57 | Spain | Real Madrid | 2-0 | Fiorentina | Italy |
| 1957-58 | Spain | Real Madrid | 3-2 | Milan | Italy |
| 1958-59 | Spain | Real Madrid | 2-0 | Reims | France |
| 1959-60 | Spain | Real Madrid | 7-3 | Eintracht Frankfurt | West Germany |
| 1960-61 | Portugal | Benfica | 3-2 | Barcelona | Spain |
| 1961-62 | Portugal | Benfica | 5-3 | Real Madrid | Spain |
| 1962-63 | Italy | Milan | 2-1 | Benfica | Portugal |
| 1963-64 | Italy | Inter Milan | 3-1 | Real Madrid | Spain |
| 1964-65 | Italy | Inter Milan | 1-0 | Benfica | Portugal |
| 1965-66 | Spain | Real Madrid | 2-1 | Partizan | Yugoslavia |
| 1966-67 | Scotland | Celtic | 2-1 | Inter Milan | Italy |
| 1967-68 | England | Manchester United | 4-1 | Benfica | Portugal |
| 1968-69 | Italy | Milan | 4-1 | Ajax | Netherlands |
| 1969-70 | Netherlands | Feyenoord | 2-1 | Celtic | Scotland |
| 1970-71 | Netherlands | Ajax | 2-0 | Panathinaikos | Greece |
| 1971-72 | Netherlands | Ajax | 2-0 | Inter Milan | Italy |
| 1972-73 | Netherlands | Ajax | 1-0 | Juventus | Italy |
| 1973-74 | West Germany | Bayern Munich | 1-1 and 4-0 | Atlético Madrid | Spain |
| 1974-75 | West Germany | Bayern Munich | 2-0 | Leeds United | England |
| 1975-76 | West Germany | Bayern Munich | 1-0 | Saint-Étienne | France |
| 1976-77 | England | Liverpool | 3-1 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | West Germany |
| 1977-78 | England | Liverpool | 1-0 | Club Brugge | Belgium |
| 1978-79 | England | Nottingham Forest | 1-0 | Malmö FF | Sweden |
| 1979-80 | England | Nottingham Forest | 1-0 | Hamburger SV | West Germany |
| 1980-81 | England | Liverpool | 1-0 | Real Madrid | Spain |
| 1981-82 | England | Aston Villa | 1-0 | Bayern Munich | West Germany |
| 1982-83 | West Germany | Hamburger SV | 1-0 | Juventus | Italy |
| 1983-84 | England | Liverpool | 1-1 | Roma | Italy |
| 1984-85 | Italy | Juventus | 1-0 | Liverpool | England |
| 1985-86 | Romania | Steaua București | 0-0 | Barcelona | Spain |
| 1986-87 | Portugal | Porto | 2-1 | Bayern Munich | West Germany |
| 1987-88 | Netherlands | PSV Eindhoven | 0-0 | Benfica | Portugal |
| 1988-89 | Italy | Milan | 4-0 | Steaua București | Romania |
| 1989-90 | Italy | Milan | 1-0 | Benfica | Portugal |
| 1990-91 | Yugoslavia | Red Star Belgrade | 0-0 | Marseille | France |
| 1991-92 | Spain | Barcelona | 1-0 | Sampdoria | Italy |
| 1992-93 | France | Marseille | 1-0 | Milan | Italy |
| 1993-94 | Italy | Milan | 4-0 | Barcelona | Spain |
| 1994-95 | Netherlands | Ajax | 1-0 | Milan | Italy |
| 1995-96 | Italy | Juventus | 1-1 | Ajax | Netherlands |
| 1996-97 | Germany | Borussia Dortmund | 3-1 | Juventus | Italy |
| 1997-98 | Spain | Real Madrid | 1-0 | Juventus | Italy |
| 1998-99 | England | Manchester United | 2-1 | Bayern Munich | Germany |
| 1999-2000 | Spain | Real Madrid | 3-0 | Valencia | Spain |
| 2000-01 | Germany | Bayern Munich | 1-1 | Valencia | Spain |
| 2001-02 | Spain | Real Madrid | 2-1 | Bayer Leverkusen | Germany |
| 2002-03 | Italy | Milan | 0-0 | Juventus | Italy |
| 2003-04 | Portugal | Porto | 3-0 | Monaco | France |
| 2004-05 | England | Liverpool | 3-3 | Milan | Italy |
| 2005-06 | Spain | Barcelona | 2-1 | Arsenal | England |
| 2006-07 | Italy | Milan | 2-1 | Liverpool | England |
| 2007-08 | England | Manchester United | 1-1 | Chelsea | England |
| 2008-09 | Spain | Barcelona | 2-0 | Manchester United | England |
| 2009-10 | Italy | Inter Milan | 2-0 | Bayern Munich | Germany |
| 2010-11 | Spain | Barcelona | 3-1 | Manchester United | England |
| 2011-12 | England | Chelsea | 1-1 | Bayern Munich | Germany |
| 2012-13 | Germany | Bayern Munich | 2-1 | Borussia Dortmund | Germany |
| 2013-14 | Spain | Real Madrid | 4-1 | Atlético Madrid | Spain |
| 2014-15 | Spain | Barcelona | 3-1 | Juventus | Italy |
| 2015-16 | Spain | Real Madrid | 1-1 | Atlético Madrid | Spain |
| 2016-17 | Spain | Real Madrid | 4-1 | Juventus | Italy |
| 2017-18 | Spain | Real Madrid | 3-1 | Liverpool | England |
| 2018-19 | England | Liverpool | 2-0 | Tottenham Hotspur | England |
| 2019-20 | Germany | Bayern Munich | 1-0 | Paris Saint-Germain | France |
| 2020-21 | England | Chelsea | 1-0 | Manchester City | England |
| 2021-22 | Spain | Real Madrid | 1-0 | Liverpool | England |
| 2022-23 | England | Manchester City | 1-0 | Inter Milan | Italy |
| 2023-24 | Spain | Real Madrid | 2-0 | Borussia Dortmund | Germany |
| 2024-25 | France | Paris Saint-Germain | 5-0 | Inter Milan | Italy |
| 2025-26 | France | Paris Saint-Germain | 1-1 | Arsenal | England |
How can I watch the UEFA Champions League 2026-27?
SuperSport will broadcast the 2026-27 Champions League tournament in South Africa. TNT Sports and Amazon Prime Video will stream the UEFA Champions League 2026-27 in the UK.
In the United States, this tournament will air on Paramount+ and CBS. Other viewing options for Spanish-language broadcasts include Univision, TUDN, and ViX.
The UEFA Champions League 2026-27 will be streamed on Stan Sport in Australia. Additionally, this competition final will live on Nine Network and be available to stream for free on 9Now.
In France, fans can watch the tournament on Canal+, which holds the official broadcasting rights.
The UEFA Champions League 2026-27 will be streamed on DAZN in New Zealand. In India, fans can see the competition on Sony Sports Network. This platform also offers digital access through the Sony LIV app and website.
2026–27 UEFA Champions League: Association Rankings
| Rank | Association | Rank | Association |
| 1 | England | 29 | Bulgaria |
| 2 | Italy | 30 | Azerbaijan |
| 3 | Spain | 31 | Republic of Ireland |
| 4 | Germany | 32 | Moldova |
| 5 | France | 33 | Iceland |
| 6 | Netherlands | 34 | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| 7 | Portugal | 35 | Armenia |
| 8 | Belgium | 36 | Latvia |
| 9 | Czech Republic | 37 | Kosovo |
| 10 | Turkey | 38 | Finland |
| 11 | Norway | 39 | Kazakhstan |
| 12 | Greece | 40 | Faroe Islands |
| 13 | Austria | 41 | Malta |
| 14 | Scotland | 42 | Northern Ireland |
| 15 | Poland | 43 | Lithuania |
| 16 | Denmark | 44 | Liechtenstein |
| 17 | Switzerland | 45 | Estonia |
| 18 | Israel | 46 | Albania |
| 19 | Cyprus | 47 | Montenegro |
| 20 | Sweden | 48 | Luxembourg |
| 21 | Croatia | 49 | Wales |
| 22 | Serbia | 50 | Georgia |
| 23 | Ukraine | 51 | North Macedonia |
| 24 | Hungary | 52 | Belarus |
| 25 | Romania | 53 | Andorra |
| 26 | Russia | 54 | Gibraltar |
| 27 | Slovakia | 55 | San Marino |
| 28 | Slovenia | – | – |
Teams Qualified for the 2026–27 UEFA Champions League
| Entry Round | Teams | Teams | Teams | Teams |
| League Phase | Paris Saint-Germain | Aston Villa | Arsenal | Manchester City |
| League Phase | Manchester United | Liverpool | Inter Milan | Napoli |
| League Phase | Roma | Como | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| League Phase | Villarreal | Atlético Madrid | Real Betis | Bayern Munich |
| League Phase | Borussia Dortmund | RB Leipzig | VfB Stuttgart | Lens |
| League Phase | Lille | PSV Eindhoven | Feyenoord | Porto |
| League Phase | Sporting CP | Club Brugge | Slavia Prague | Galatasaray |
| League Phase | Shakhtar Donetsk | – | – | – |
| Play-off Round (Champions Path) | Third qualifying round (League Path) |
| Viking FK | Olympique Lyonnais |
| AEK Athens F.C. | FK Bodø/Glimt |
| LASK | NEC Nijmegen |
| Celtic F.C. | Olympiacos F.C. |
| – | Royale Union Saint-Gilloise |
| – | AC Sparta Prague |
Second qualifying round
| Champions Path | League Path |
| Lech Poznań | Fenerbahçe S.K. |
| AC Omonia | SK Sturm Graz |
| ŠK Slovan Bratislava | Heart of Midlothian F.C. |
| Aarhus Gymnastikforening | Górnik Zabrze |
| Mjällby AIF | – |
| NK Celje | – |
| FC Thun | – |
| GNK Dinamo Zagreb | – |
| Hapoel Be’er Sheva F.C. | – |
| Red Star Belgrade | – |
First qualifying round
| Entry Round | Teams | Teams | Teams | Teams |
| Champions Path | Győri ETO FC | CS Universitatea Craiova | PFC Levski Sofia | Sabah FK |
| Champions Path | Shamrock Rovers F.C. | FC Petrocub Hîncești | Víkingur Reykjavík | FK Borac Banja Luka |
| Champions Path | FC Ararat-Armenia | Riga FC | FC Drita | Kuopion Palloseura |
| Champions Path | FC Kairat | Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag | Floriana F.C. | Larne F.C. |
| Champions Path | FK Kauno Žalgiris | FC Flora | KF Egnatia Rrogozhinë | FK Sutjeska Nikšić |
| Champions Path | FC Atert Bissen | The New Saints F.C. | FC Iberia 1999 | FK Vardar |
| Champions Path | FC Maxline Vitebsk | Inter Club d’Escaldes | Lincoln Red Imps F.C. | Tre Fiori FC |
Champions League 2026-27: Schedule
| Phase | Round | Draw Date | First leg | Second leg |
| Qualifying | First qualifying round | 16 June 2026 | 7-8 July 2026 | 14-15 July 2026 |
| Qualifying | Second qualifying round | 17 June 2026 | 21–22 July 2026 | 28–29 July 2026 |
| Qualifying | Third qualifying round | 20 July 2026 | 4–5 August 2026 | 11 August 2026 |
| Play-offs | Play-off round | 3 August 2026 | 18–19 August 2026 | 25–26 August 2026 |
| Phase | Round | Draw Date | Confirmed Date |
| League Phase | Matchday 1 | 27 August 2026 | 8–10 September 2026 |
| League Phase | Matchday 2 | 27 August 2026 | 13–14 October 2026 |
| League Phase | Matchday 3 | 27 August 2026 | 20–21 October 2026 |
| League Phase | Matchday 4 | 27 August 2026 | 3–4 November 2026 |
| League Phase | Matchday 5 | 27 August 2026 | 24–25 November 2026 |
| League Phase | Matchday 6 | 27 August 2026 | 8–9 December 2026 |
| League Phase | Matchday 7 | 27 August 2026 | 19–20 January 2027 |
| League Phase | Matchday 8 | 27 August 2026 | 27 January 2027 |
| Phase | Round | Draw Date | First leg | Second leg |
| Knockout Phase | Knockout phase play-offs | 29 January 2027 | 16–17 February 2027 | 23–24 February 2027 |
| Knockout Phase | Round of 16 | 26 February 2027 | 9–10 March 2027 | 16–17 March 2027 |
| Knockout Phase | Quarter-finals | – | 6–7 April 2027 | 13–14 April 2027 |
| Knockout Phase | Semi-finals | – | 27–28 April 2027 | 4–5 May 2027 |
| Knockout Phase | Final | – | June 5, 2027 | – |
Qualifying rounds
First qualifying round
| Team 1 | Aggregate Score | Team 2 | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg |
| Sabah FK | Match 1 | The New Saints F.C. | 7 July | 14 July |
| Floriana F.C. | Match 2 | Shamrock Rovers F.C. | 7 July | 14 July |
| FC Flora | Match 3 | FC Iberia 1999 | 8 July | 14 July |
| Lincoln Red Imps F.C. | Match 4 | Inter Club d’Escaldes | 7 July | 14 July |
| Tre Fiori FC | Match 5 | Larne F.C. | 7 July | 14 July |
| FC Ararat-Armenia | Match 6 | Riga FC | 7 July | 14 July |
| FK Vardar | Match 7 | Kuopion Palloseura | 7 July | 14 July |
| FK Kauno Žalgiris | Match 8 | FC Drita | 7 July | 14 July |
| FC Maxline Vitebsk | Match 9 | CS Universitatea Craiova | 8 July | 15 July |
| FC Petrocub Hîncești | Match 10 | KF Egnatia Rrogozhinë | 8 July | 15 July |
| FK Borac Banja Luka | Match 11 | PFC Levski Sofia | 7 July | 14 July |
| Knattspyrnufélagið Víkingur | Match 12 | Győri ETO FC | 7 July | 14 July |
| FC Kairat | Match 13 | FK Sutjeska Nikšić | 8 July | 15 July |
| Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag | Match 14 | FC Atert Bissen | 7 July | 15 July |
Second qualifying round
Champions Path
| Team 1 | Aggregate Score | Team 2 | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg |
| Mjällby AIF | Match 1 | Winner of match 4 | 21 or 22 July | 28 or 29 July |
| Winner of match 5 | Match 2 | Red Star Belgrade | 21 or 22 July | 28 or 29 July |
| Winner of match 1 | Match 3 | Winner of match 7 | 21 or 22 July | 28 or 29 July |
| Winner of match 14 | Match 4 | Winner of match 8 | 21 or 22 July | 28 or 29 July |
| AGF | Match 5 | Lech Poznań | 21 July | 29 July |
| Winner of match 6 | Match 6 | Winner of match 2 | 21 or 22 July | 28 or 29 July |
| Winner of match 11 | Match 7 | Winner of match 9 | 21 or 22 July | 28 or 29 July |
| Omonia | Match 8 | Winner of match 13 | 22 July | 29 July |
| Thun | Match 9 | Dinamo Zagreb | 21 July | 28 July |
| Winner of match 12 | Match 10 | Hapoel Be’er Sheva | 21 or 22 July | 28 or 29 July |
| Winner of match 3 | Match 11 | Slovan Bratislava | 21 or 22 July | 28 or 29 July |
| Winner of match 10 | Match 12 | Celje | 21 or 22 July | 28 or 29 July |
League Path
| Team 1 | Aggregate Score | Team 2 | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg |
| Fenerbahçe | Match 1 | Górnik Zabrze | 21 or 22 July | 29 July |
| Sturm Graz | Match 2 | Heart of Midlothian | 21 July | 28 July |
2026–27 UEFA Champions League: Earnings and Prize Money
The total prize pool of the UEFA Champions League consists of €2.487 billion, split among the 36 contributing clubs.
| Level | Prize Pool |
| League Phase Win | €2.1 million per victory |
| League Phase Draw | €700,000 per draw |
| Round of 16 | €11 million |
| Quarter-finals | €12.5 million |
| Semi-finals | €15 million |
| Runner-up | €18.5 million |
| Champion | €25 million |
Early Season Outlook for the UEFA Champions League
The Champions League provides a strong platform for emerging clubs to compete on the international stage. The opening Champions League matches will be played next week in the first qualifying round. Several clubs will feature their elite players in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League. The first qualifying round will determine which clubs advance to the next round.
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