Football fans across Europe will discover the opening opponents for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase when the draw takes place in Monaco on Thursday, August 27.
The draw is one of the biggest events on the European football calendar as Europe’s top clubs discover their league-phase opponents.
When is the Champions League draw?
The 2026/27 Champions League league-phase draw takes place today at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.
The draw will determine the opponents that Europe’s leading clubs will face during the league phase.
How does the new Champions League format work?
The Champions League continues with the league-phase format introduced in recent seasons.
Rather than being placed into traditional groups, participating clubs are included in one league table.
Each team will face multiple opponents before the knockout phase begins.
The format creates the possibility of major European clubs meeting earlier in the competition, making the draw particularly important.
The teams everyone will be watching
Attention will be focused on Europe’s biggest clubs, including Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.
Fans will be hoping for blockbuster fixtures involving some of the biggest names in European football.
Why today’s draw matters
The draw will give clubs their first clear picture of the route towards the knockout stages.
For managers and supporters, the quality of the opponents could have a major impact on expectations for the campaign.
The first league-phase matches are scheduled for September, meaning clubs will soon move from transfer-window preparations to Champions League football.
Follow the draw with SportNexus
The Champions League draw is expected to generate huge interest among football supporters worldwide.
SportNexus will provide updates on the biggest fixtures, Nigerian players involved in the competition and the matches supporters should watch when the league phase begins.