Champions League Playoff Draw and Full Schedule for Final Qualifying Stage

2026/27 UEFA Champions League Playoff Draw and Match Schedule

The qualification process for next season's UEFA Champions League has reached its decisive playoff round. Fourteen teams will compete in this final stage to secure their spot in the league phase of the 2026/27 tournament. Some participants will be determined by the third qualifying round, which concludes just before the playoffs begin.

These playoffs are two-legged ties scheduled in August, with the main league phase draw set for August 27.

Playoff Draw Details

The draw took place on August 3 at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. It features 14 teams: 10 via the champions path, which includes league winners entering qualifying, and 4 from the league path, made up of clubs qualifying based on their domestic league positions in countries with multiple Champions League spots.

Ten of the playoff contenders remain undecided until the third qualifying round matches conclude during the weeks starting August 3 and August 10.

Matchups for the 2026/27 Champions League Playoffs

• Levski Sofia (BUL) or Kairat Almaty (KAZ) vs. AEK Athens (GRE)
• Celtic (SCO) vs. LASK (AUT)
• GNK Dinamo (CRO) or Zalgiris (LIT) vs. Viking (NOR)
• Mjallby (SWE) or Slovan Bratislava (SVK) vs. Ararat-Armenia (ARM) or Celje (SVN)
• Hapoel Be'er-Sheva (ISR) or Red Star Belgrade (SRB) vs. Aarhus (DEN) or Sabah (AZE)
• Fenerbahce (TUR) or Sturm Graz (AUT) vs. Sparta Prague (CZE) or Lyon (FRA)
• Olympiacos (GRE) or NEC (NED) vs. Union SG (BEL) or Bodo/Glimt (NOR)

Champions League Playoff Schedule

• First Leg Matches: August 18 and 19
• Second Leg Matches: August 25 and 26

The playoff second legs wrap up just before the league phase draw, which will take place on August 27 in Monaco, beginning at 12 p.m. CET (6 a.m. ET).

Europa League Qualification from Playoffs

Teams eliminated during these playoffs will drop directly into the Europa League league phase. This is the final chance for playoff losers to enter the Europa League; after the Champions League league phase starts, no further eliminations will send teams to the Europa League.