Football fans are counting down to the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league-phase draw, which is scheduled to take place on Thursday, August 27, 2026.
According to UEFA, the draw will begin at 18:00 CET, which is 5:00pm Nigerian time (WAT). The event will determine the league-phase opponents for the 36 clubs competing in the revamped format.
The league phase is scheduled to get underway on Tuesday, September 8, with Matchday 1 running from September 8 to 10.
The draw comes as European domestic competitions begin their new campaigns, with clubs already preparing for the demands of another season of continental football.
Under the current format, the 36 teams will be divided into four pots of nine based on their UEFA coefficient rankings. Each club will be drawn against two opponents from each pot, playing one at home and one away. Teams from the same national association cannot generally face each other, while clubs can draw a maximum of two opponents from any other association.
The final seven places in the league phase are being decided through the Champions League play-offs, whose second legs are scheduled for August 25 and 26. The 29 teams that qualified directly will be joined by the seven play-off winners.
With the draw fast approaching, supporters will soon discover the European opponents that could shape their clubs’ campaigns in the opening phase of the competition.
UCL draw: Thursday, August 27, 2026
Time: 5:00pm Nigerian time (18:00 CET)
League phase: September 8–10, 2026
Final: June 5, 2027, at Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium