2026/27 UEFA Champions League Draw: Pot Breakdown and Key Details

How Are the Pots Set for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League?

The league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League will feature 36 teams split into four pots, each containing nine clubs. UEFA will confirm the final pot lineup before the draw on August 27.

So far, 29 teams have secured their spots in this expanded league phase. The last seven places will be decided by the upcoming play-offs, with the second legs scheduled for August 25 and 26.

Determining the Pots

The allocation of clubs into pots follows UEFA’s club coefficient rankings at the start of the season. One exception applies: the defending Champions League winner automatically claims a spot in Pot 1.

Based on the current qualified teams and their coefficients, the provisional pot distribution looks like this:

• Pot 1: Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Manchester City, Inter Milan, Arsenal, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid
• Pot 2: Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Sporting CP, Aston Villa, Porto, Manchester United, Club Brugge, Real Betis, PSV Eindhoven
• Pot 3: Feyenoord, Lille, Napoli, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Shakhtar Donetsk, Galatasaray
• Pot 4: Slavia Prague, Stuttgart, Como, Lens

How the Draw Works

Being placed in Pot 1 does not guarantee avoiding other top teams. Each club in the league phase will face eight different opponents, playing two teams from each pot — including their own.

For instance, a team from Pot 1 will compete against two other Pot 1 sides, two from Pot 2, two from Pot 3, and two from Pot 4. Each opponent will be played twice, once at home and once away.

Teams from the same national association generally cannot be drawn against one another during this phase. Clubs may face up to two opponents from a single other association.

When and Where Is the Draw?

The draw is scheduled for Thursday, August 27 at 18:00 CET in Monaco. With 29 clubs already qualified directly and the remaining seven places to be filled through the play-offs on August 25 and 26, the full lineup will then be complete.

The league phase will kick off on September 8, running until January 27, 2027. Each club will host four matches and play four away games during this period.

Until UEFA publishes the official seedings on August 27, any circulating list of pots should be viewed as tentative.