Thursday brings the season’s first major turning point, as 36 clubs learn their eight league-phase opponents. For the contenders, it is the first real test of the campaign’s shape, and for the defending champions, it is the start of the chase.
Paris Saint-Germain enter as the team everyone wants to avoid after lifting the trophy again in Budapest in May. Now the draw gives every rival a fresh chance to measure itself against Europe’s best.
When the draw starts
The league-phase draw takes place on Thursday 27 August at 5:00 p.m. BST. It will set the path for all 36 clubs across the competition’s new format.
This is not the old group-stage system. Each team gets a personalized slate of opponents, which makes the reveal feel bigger, sharper, and far less predictable.
How the new format works
The competition now uses a league phase instead of traditional four-team groups. Every club is drawn against eight different opponents, with two coming from each pot. That means no two teams receive the same fixture list.
The basic rules are straightforward:
- Each club plays eight matches in the league phase.
- Two opponents come from each of the four pots.
- No team can face another club from its own country.
- The full schedule is unique for every participant.
That structure creates a draw with real consequences. One club may get a manageable run, while another could be handed a brutal sequence from the start.
The teams in the four pots
The field is split into four pots based on European ranking and qualification status. Pot 1 carries the biggest names, while Pot 4 includes several qualifiers and lower-ranked sides looking for a surprise run.
Pot 1
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Bayern Munich
- Real Madrid
- Liverpool
- Inter Milan
- Manchester City
- Arsenal
- Barcelona
- Atletico Madrid
Pot 2
- Borussia Dortmund
- Roma
- Sporting
- Aston Villa
- Porto
- Manchester United
- Club Brugge
- Real Betis
- PSV Eindhoven
Pot 3
- Feyenoord
- Lille
- Bodo/Glimt
- Napoli
- RB Leipzig
- Villarreal
- Shakhtar Donetsk
- Galatasaray
- Winner of Fenerbahce vs Lyon
Pot 4
- Winner of Dinamo Zagreb vs Viking
- Winner of Slovan Bratislava vs Celje
- Slavia Prague
- VfB Stuttgart
- LASK
- Winner of Levski Sofia vs AEK Athens
- Como
- Lens
- Sabah
Why this draw matters so much
The new setup rewards balance and punishes weak stretches. A strong draw can open the door to an easier push toward the knockout rounds, while a difficult one can put pressure on even the biggest clubs early.
That is what makes Thursday worth watching closely. The matchups are not just about prestige; they shape the entire route through the competition.
By the time the final opponent is assigned, every club will know whether it has been handed a clear path or a serious challenge.
