Real Madrid will discover their first eight opponents in the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League today. The draw will take place in Monaco at 6:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Realmadrid TV. At this stage of the competition, Los Blancos cannot face another Spanish club and cannot be drawn against more than two teams from the same country.
The 36 participating clubs will be divided into four pots according to their UEFA coefficient rankings. Each team will face two opponents from each pot, with one match played at home and the other away.
A computerised system will determine Real Madrid’s eight opponents and will also decide which fixtures will be played at the Santiago Bernabéu and which ones will take place away from home. The complete schedule, including the dates and kick-off times of the matches, is expected to be announced during the weekend.
Champions League 2026/27 format
As introduced under the new Champions League format, all 36 clubs will compete in a single league table during the opening phase of the tournament.
Each team plays eight matches against eight different opponents. After all the fixtures have been completed, the top eight teams in the standings will automatically qualify for the Round of 16.
Teams finishing between 9th and 24th place will have to compete in a two-legged knockout play-off to earn a place in the last 16.
The clubs finishing from 25th to 36th will be eliminated from European competition altogether. Unlike in previous formats, they will not drop into the Europa League.
From the Round of 16 onwards, the Champions League returns to its traditional knockout structure, with two-legged ties leading to the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
The 2026/27 Champions League final will be played on June 5, 2027, at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, giving Real Madrid the possibility of competing for the trophy in their own city should they reach the final.
Teams qualified so far
| Country | Qualified teams |
|---|---|
| Spain | Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Villarreal, Real Betis |
| England | Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool |
| Germany | Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Stuttgart |
| Italy | Inter Milan, Napoli, Roma, Como |
| France | Paris Saint-Germain, Lens, Lille |
| Portugal | Porto, Sporting CP |
| Netherlands | PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord |
| Turkey | Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe |
| Norway | Bodø/Glimt, Viking Stavanger |
| Ukraine | Shakhtar Donetsk |
| Belgium | Club Brugge |
| Czech Republic | Slavia Prague |
| Azerbaijan | Sabah Baku |
| Austria | LASK |
| Greece | AEK Athens |
| Slovakia | Slovan Bratislava |
For Real Madrid, the draw will provide the first clear picture of the difficulty of their European campaign. With major clubs such as Manchester City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain already among the qualified teams, José Mourinho’s side could be handed several high-profile clashes during the league phase.
The objective will nevertheless remain straightforward: collect enough points from the eight matches to finish inside the top eight and avoid the additional knockout play-off round.
All attention will therefore turn to Monaco today as Real Madrid discover the eight teams standing between them and direct qualification for the Champions League Round of 16.
🔀 Who's excited for the @ChampionsLeague league phase draw?
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 27, 2026
⚽ @adidasfootball pic.twitter.com/mxZOvYe6jN
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