Here are the 2025-26 Champions League Dates

The 2025-26 Champions League schedule has been released, and we have it here.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase after clicking them, Groundhopper Guides will receive a commission.

Also read below for how to watch the Champions League in the US, and how to buy Champions League tickets from Groundhopper Soccer Guides.

First, a very quick introduction to the UEFA Champions League, for those who don’t know why it’s such a big deal.

What is the UEFA Champions League?

The world of soccer is organized into regions, each of which contains multiple countries with their own leagues. Within each region, there are competitions among both clubs and countries. Countries compete for World Cup qualification as well as regional competitions. In Europe, the latter is the European Championships, or Euros; in South America it’s the Copa America, etc. (This video has a lot more on the organization of worldwide soccer.)

Each region also has an annual club competition made up the best clubs from each country; in Europe, whose region is called UEFA, that is the UEFA Champions League. (Here’s a whole blog post on What is the UEFA Champions League.) With so much money and, therefore, top players and big clubs in Europe, the Champions League is the most prestigious club competition in the world.

The top four English Premier League clubs qualify for the Champions League; this is what is meant by “getting into Europe.”

The Puskás Arena in Budapest will host the 2026 Champions League Final. OD Pictures, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Champions League Dates for 2025-26

Starting with the 2024-25 season, the format of the Champions League changed significantly. Check out this blog post to see those changes.

Champions League Preliminary and Qualifying Rounds

The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League will begin in July 2025 with three qualifying rounds, each consisting of two legs:

• July 8/9 and 15/16
• July 22/23 and 29/30
• August 5/6 and 12

These rounds don’t include any teams from the top European leagues. Those clubs join for the Champions League Group Stage.

PSG will be back in the Champions League again for 2025-26 season

2025-26 Champions League “League Stage” Dates

The draw for the 2025-26 Champions League “League Stage” will take place on August 28, 2025. During the League Stage, the 36 teams will play eight games, but they won’t play teams from their own country.

The 2025-26 League Stages dates — all Tuesday and Wednesday evenings — are:

• September 16-18
• September 30 – October 1
• October 21-22
• November 4-5
• November 25-26
• December 9-10
• January 20-21
• January 28

2025-26 Champions League Knockout round play-offs

After the League Stage, the top 8 will move on to the round of 16 and teams 9 to 24 will go into a play-off round which sees each tie play out over two legs. The play-off winners also make it to the round of 16. The Champions League Knockout Stage begins with the Knockout round play-offs on February 17, 2026. Play-off games — one at each club’s stadium — will be played on the following Tuesday and Wednesday nights, with the higher-seeded team at home in the second leg.

• February 17-18, 2026
• February 24-25, 2026

2025-26 Champions League Round of 16

Round of 16 games — one at each club’s stadium — will be played on the following Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Again, the higher-seeded team will be at home in the second leg.

• March 10-11, 2026
• March 17-18, 2026

2025-26 Champions League Quarterfinals

The two-legged quarterfinal ties will be played:

• April 7-8, 2026
• April 14-15, 2026

2025-26 Champions League Semifinals

The two-legged semifinal ties will be played:

• April 28-29, 2026
• May 5-6, 2026

2025-26 Champions League Final

The 2025-26 Champions League Final will be played May 30, 2026, at Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary

Watch the 2025-26 Champions League

In the United States, you can watch the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League in English on Paramount+ by CBS Sports. The Spanish-language rights are held by TUDN, which is part of the Fubo TV service.

Watch soccer, including the Champions League, on Paramount+

Buy Champions League Tickets

Groundhopper Guides is an authorized reseller of UEFA Champions League tickets. You can see more about our Champions League tickets here.

Fill out this form to find out more about buying Champions League tickets: