The inaugural League Phase of the Champions League produced pulsating football, nerve-wrecking drama and exciting results, concluding with a record-breaking final in which Paris Saint-Germain defeated Inter Milan 5-0 to lift the title for the first time. Three months since the exciting showpiece, the new season of the competition is knocking on the door with all 36 teams confirmed for the League Phase. 29 clubs have secured direct entry to the League Phase after completing their league season, while the remaining seven teams qualified through the playoffs. The League Phase will commence in September 2025 and will continue until January of the following year. The final of the 2025-26 Champions League season is scheduled on 30 May 2026 at Puskás Aréna, Budapest.
Quick Summary – Champions League 2025-26 League Phase
Direct Entry
England: 5 slots + 1 (Europa League winner) - Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle confirmed through the Premier League. Tottenham Hotspur joins them after winning the 2024-25 Europa League
Italy: 4 slots - Napoli, Inter Milan, Atalanta and Juventus confirmed
Spain: 5 slots - Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Athletic Club and Villarreal confirmed
Germany: 4 slots - Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Frankfurt and Dortmund confirmed
France: 3 slots - PSG, Marseille and Monaco confirmed
Netherlands: 2 slots - PSV Eindhoven and Ajax confirmed
Greece: 1 slot - Olympiacos in via coefficient rankings
Czech Republic: 1 slot - Slavia Prague confirmed
Turkey: 1 slot - Galatasaray confirmed
Portugal: 1 slot - Sporting CP confirmed
Belgium: 1 slot - Union St Gilloise confirmed
Through playoffs
Benfica (Portugal)
Club Brugge (Belgium)
Copenhagen (Denmark)
Qarabağ (Azerbaijan)
Bodø/Glimt (Norway)
Pafos (Cyprus)
Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan)
Here are all the teams that have qualified for the Champions League 2025-26 League Phase
Direct Entry
England
Due to their club performance in the current season, which puts them in the high coefficient ranking for the season, England will have five slots in the League Phase of the 2025-26 Champions League, an increase from the regular four. Tottenham Hotspur joins as an additional team from the nation after defeating fellow Premier League side Manchester United to win the Europa League last season.
Liverpool
It has been a sensational year for Liverpool as they claim their second Premier League title in the first season post-Jurgen Klopp’s departure. Arne Slot became the fifth manager to win the title in his debut season as he guided the team to an enormous high, with celebration in front of fans for the first time, which few bet on at the start of the campaign. As a result, the Reds also booked their place in the Champions League for the 26th time, including the European Cup. The team finished 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League table, scoring the most goals and collecting the most wins.
Arsenal
Arsenal finished second in the Premier League for the third consecutive season, beaten to the title by rampaging Reds but finishing above Manchester City for the first time since the 2015-16 season. The Gunners have qualified for their 22nd Champions League season, marking their third consecutive season since ending a six-year wait to return to the competition in the 2023-24 season. This is also their 39th appearance on the continental stage and the fourth under Mikel Arteta’s watch.
Manchester City
It was a shocking downfall for Manchester City last season as they lost their four-year dominance in the league and went trophyless for only the second time in Pep Guardiola’s era.
The side also needed a late resurgence to secure a place in the top four of the Premier League table. Eventually, the Sky Blues finished third, 13 points behind the top spot, but six points clear in the Champions League places, which means they will participate in the competition for the 15th consecutive time. Of which, 10 have come under the Spanish boss, who also guided the club to their first success in 2023.
Chelsea
Making a return to the Champions League stage is Chelsea, who secured the spot on the final day to conclude a dramatic race for the top four. The Blues in the first season under Enzo Maresca secured the fourth spot, three points better than fifth-place Aston Villa and also went on to clinch the Conference League title. They did not stop there as they went to secure the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup title this summer. Hence, the two-time Champions League winners will make their 19th appearance in the competition with mojo in their play.
Newcastle United
Also coming back to Europe’s premier club competition is Newcastle United, who also secured their place in the Champions League on the final day of the Premier League season last term. Despite losing their game against Everton, the Magpies finished fifth as Aston Villa’s simultaneous defeat to Manchester United allowed Eddie Howe’s men to edge out Villa on goal difference. Because England has earned an additional European Performance Spot (EPS) for the Premier League's strong collective performance in the 2024/25 UEFA competitions, Newcastle will participate in the League Phase. This marks their second appearance in the competition in just three seasons.
Tottenham Hotspur (Europa League holders)
Although Tottenham had their worst season in the Premier League, finishing just above the relegation zone, they remained strong in Europe by ending a 17-year trophy drought with a Europa League victory. They beat fellow English side Manchester United in the final with a narrow 1-0 win to take their first European crown since 1983–84 at home and claim their fourth continental honour in the club’s history. As a result, Spurs return to the Champions League stage for the first time since 2019, when they made a memorable run to the competition final. However, the side will be managed by Thomas Frank this season after parting ways with Ange Postecoglou following the success. They enter the League Phase as the sixth team from England, the most participation from any nation in the 2025-26 season.
Italy
Italy will return to their usual four slots for the Champions League in the 2025-26 season, after having five teams last season due to high coefficient rankings.
Napoli
Napoli clinched the Scudetto on the final day of the Serie A season last time in a neck-and-neck battle with Inter under the watch of Antonio Conte, who won his fifth league title as a manager. They finished a point above the Nerazzuri at the top despite having an equal number of wins but losing one fewer game than them. This was the second league title in three seasons and the third in their history for the side from Naples as they return to the Champions League stage after a season's absence. Partenopei will compete in the League Phase format for the first time in their 12th appearance in the competition.
Inter Milan
Conte's former employees, Inter Milan, had another strong campaign under Simeone Inzaghi, but had nothing to show for it this time, which left a bitter taste in their mouths. Not only do they lose their title defence to Napoli on fine margins, but their sensational run to the Champions League final, the second time in three seasons, came to a catastrophic end. Paris Saint-Germain bashed them 5-0 in a record margin of victory, while Inzaghi was unveiled as Saudi league giants Al-Hilal’s manager soon after the humiliating defeat. So, the Nerazzuri will begin their seventh straight participation since returning to Europe’s premier club competition in the 2018-19 season under club legend Cristian Chivu to avenge their misery last season.
Atalanta
Atalanta finished third in the Serie A and qualified for their fifth Champions League campaign in the final season under their revolutionary manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, who joined AS Roma after an exciting nine seasons at Bergamo. La Dea finished nine points clear in the top four and collected the most wins outside of the top two in the league. They also had an excellent performance in the inaugural League Phase, but finished ninth just a point behind the top eight automatic last-16 spot and suffered a shock exit from the knockout playoffs at the hands of Club Brugge. Now under the former Giallorossi boss Ivan Juric, the team will hope to clear those disappointments on the big stage.
Juventus
Despite a fragile season, which saw Thiago Motta fail in his job after his appointment last summer and being replaced by Igor Tudor at the business end of the season, Juventus managed to pip AS Roma by a point to secure the fourth spot and qualify for the Champions League. The Bianconeri were once in the title race and did not lose a single game in the first half of the previous campaign, yet things went downhill pretty soon. The side also suffered a shock exit at the hands of PSV Eindhoven in the knockout playoffs, having finished 20th in the League Phase. However, with Tudor staying unbeaten in the league since his appointment and some impressive signings made in the window, the Serie A giants are hoping for a steady impact in their 39th appearance in Europe’s premier club competition.
Spain
Spain will also have five teams, like England, in the Champions League 2025-26 League Phase due to their high coefficient ranking. Barcelona’s run to the semifinals of the Champions League last season and Real Betis’ runners-up finish in the Conference League have helped the case.
Barcelona
It was heartbreaking for Barcelona to fail to reach the Champions League final after their excellent transformation this season under Hansi Flick. The Catalan giants were minutes away from playing a dream showpiece with PSG, but surrendered to eventual finalists Inter in extra time. They successfully secured all other titles by winning an impressive domestic treble, which included their 28th La Liga title, 32nd Copa del Rey, and 19th Spanish Super Cup. Flick’s side will compete in consecutive League Phase seasons, bidding to win it after finishing second last time. Indeed, they will be eyeing a first Champions League crown since 2015 in their 35th appearance in the competition.
Real Madrid
Falling from their levels of a treble-winning campaign last time, Real Madrid lost their Champions League title defence to an impressive PSG side after suffering quarterfinal elimination at the hands of Arsenal, with a frustrating 5-1 aggregate loss. Los Blancos also lost their domestic league and cup holders tag to a sensational Barcelona, losing four El Clásicos in a season, including two cup finals. Nevertheless, they managed to finish second in the table and maintained the streak of qualifying for every Champions League since 1997. However, that spelt the end of Carlo Ancelotti’s era at Real Madrid, replaced by club legend Xabi Alonso, who has the task of reclaiming their lost status.
Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone’s side was in an intense three-horse race for the La Liga title with Real Madrid and eventual winners Barcelona, but had to settle for the unwanted third place, with 12 points adrift from the top spot after a major falloff in March this year. City rivals also eliminated them from the last-16 stage in a controversial penalty shootout, which added to their disappointment last season. Aside from their domestic push, Atletico Madrid will have the chance again to write the wrong in their 21st appearance in the Champions League. However, another trophyless season for the two-time finalists following another summer overhaul will add pressure on their iconic manager.
Athletic Club
On the other hand, Athletic Club had a season to remember under Ernesto Valverde as they secured fourth place in the La Liga table and qualified for the Champions League for the first time since the 2014-15 season. It is only their second participation in the competition this century and the fifth time in their history. The Basque club also reached the semifinal stage of the Europa League last season and will want to repeat the success in the top-tier continental tournament this term.
Villarreal
Also returning to the Champions League stage are Villarreal, who gained entrance into the competition through a European Performance Spot due to Spanish clubs’ impressive performance, mainly in the Europa League last season. The Yellow Submarine finished fifth to clinch the additional berth with a 10-point cushion. This is their first participation in the League Phase of the Champions League and fifth overall in their competition history.
Germany
Germany has four slots in the League Phase of the 2025-26 Champions League, not having an additional slot this time due to the underwhelming performance of German teams in the UEFA competitions.
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich regained its Bundesliga crown this season, with two games to go, under the tutelage of Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany. Harry Kane also won his first silverware of his career as the club returned to its usual celebratory fervour, which was missed last year. The Bavarians booked their place in the Champions League much earlier, set to fight next season to avenge their quarter-final exit to finalists Inter, which denied them a chance to play the final at their home. Bayern will participate in the Champions League for the 18th straight season and for the 42nd time in their history.
Bayer Leverkusen
Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen might have failed to replicate the extraordinary feat of last season, also losing to Bayern in the Champions League last 16 with a surprise semifinal exit from the DFB Pokal. However, their league campaign is still decent, with second place sealed and a place in the League Phase secured. Leverkusen will have a new face leading them next season as their Spanish coach has decided to run his contract down. That face belonged to former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, but he was sacked just three games into the new season, so the club will need someone else to lead them. This will be the consecutive Leaguie Phase campaign for Leverkusen in their 15th appearance in the competition.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Joining them is the exciting outfit Eintracht Frankfurt, who make a comeback to the Champions League after a season’s absence, making just their third appearance in the competition. Die Adler matched their best points tally in their Bundesliga history last season to finish third, six points clear after a tight race for the top four. This was also their first qualification in history through the league position. The side managed to reach the Round of 16 in their only other appearance in the competition in the 21st century, but to do it this time in a League Phase format will be far more challenging.
Borussia Dortmund
At one point last season, Borussia Dortmund was at risk of missing out on European football entirely, let alone the Champions League. However, things changed completely when Niko Kovac took charge in February this year, with the Black and Yellows dangling 11th on the table. The Croatian coach led the team to an impressive run, securing nine wins in the final 12 matches of the season. This earned them fourth place in the league and marked their 10th consecutive appearance in Europe’s premier club competition. Dortmund reached the Champions League quarterfinals last season and hopes to improve upon that in Kovac's first full season.
France
France will take three spots in the League Phase of the 2025-26 Champions League.
Paris Saint-Germain (Title holders)
Paris Saint-Germain overcame years of doldrums to lift the Champions League title for the first time in their history without relying on superstars, but as a ruthless unit under the mastermind of Luis Enrique. Their emphatic campaign, which ended with a record-breaking 5-0 victory in the competition final, allowed them to qualify for their 14th successive campaign in the top-flight of continental club football. The Parisians would have made it to the League Phase anyway after maintaining their dominance by winning their 13th Ligue 1 crown with 19 points clear at the top and becoming the first French club to complete a treble. Enrique’s side made a late scrap to grab the knockout playoffs by finishing 15th in the League Phase last season, but will be aiming for a top-eight finish this time as they attempt to be the ninth team and the first French side to retain the trophy in the competition's history.
Marseille
Marseille saw their tag of being the only club from France to win a European trophy matched by arch-rivals PSG last season. However, they themselves endured an excellent domestic campaign, which helped them return to the Champions League main stage after a two-season absence. The Phocaeans finished second in the Ligue 1 table, making it to the League Phase directly with five points better than a qualification spot and hoping to replace their group stage exit last time with a high finish this time in their 16th appearance in competition proper.
Monaco
Monaco secured their 12th appearance in the Champions League proper and the second League Phase on the spin after finishing third in the Ligue 1 table last season. It was an intense battle for the places, but the principality club edged Nice and Lille to grab the spot with a point more than the rest. Adolf Hütter’s team showed remarkable determination in continental competition, defeating eventual semifinalists Barcelona to kick off their inaugural League Phase campaign. However, they ultimately ended up in a knockout playoff spot, where they were narrowly defeated by Benfica. Monaco will want to continue the progress with a better return this time.
Greece
Olympiacos
Olympiacos from Greece have earned an automatic league phase spot next season since Champions League finalists PSG and Inter have already qualified via their domestic league. The Thrylos qualified as the club with the best individual coefficient of all the domestic champions involved in the qualifying phase of the competition in this scenario, as per the new format introduced in 2024. Olympiacos won their 48th title in league history and are returning to the main stage of Europe’s premier club competition after four seasons.
Czech Republic
Slavia Prague
Similarly, Slavia Prague will directly qualify for the League Phase, having one of the best individual coefficient rankings, resulting in the same scenario as Olympiacos. Slavia started last season in the third qualifying round to get into the inaugural League Phase, but they will have the luxury of a direct spot this time. The team has successfully defended their league honour for the fourth consecutive season, with this being their 15th title.
Turkey
Galatasaray
After a group stage exit in the 2023-24 season, Galatasaray returns to the main stage of the Champions League following their 25th league triumph last season. They accumulated 95 points from 36 games, registering 30 wins and losing just once in an incredible campaign. Pulling some fascinating free transfers in the window, like Leroy Sane from Bayern Munich and Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City, the Turkish giants will hope to create surprises in their 16th appearance in the competition.
Portugal
Portugal has one direct slot for the League Phase in the 2025-26 Champions League season, which is granted to the league winners.
Sporting CP
Sporting CP came out on top in a neck-and-neck battle with SL Benfica to retain the Portuguese league title and secured a 17th qualification to the Champions League. This will be the third time they will compete in Europe’s top-tier club competition in back-to-back fashion and the eighth time as league champions. Despite losing star striker Viktor Gyokores this summer, the team will be determined to improve on their performance last season, after they exited from the knockout playoffs after finishing 23rd in the League Phase, courtesy of a better goal difference and going winless in the final five games of that stage.
Belgium
Belgium has one direct entry slot into the League Phase of the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League, which is granted to the league winners.
Union Saint-Gilloise
One of the four teams to debut in this season’s Champions League, Union Saint-Gilloise got the ultimate reward for the stunning progress they have made over the last few seasons, as they secured their first Belgian Pro League title in club history. After failing at the previous two attempts in the qualifiers and making deep runs in the other UEFA competitions, they will finally play in the main tournament of the Champions League in the League Phase.
Through Playoffs
Benfica (Portugal)
Despite missing out on the title by just two points to Sporting CP, Benfica still managed to qualify for the League Phase of the Champions League, coming through the qualifiers. Finishing runners-up in the Portuguese league earned them a place in the third round of Champions League qualification, as only league winners earned a direct spot in the League Phase. After defeating Ligue 1 club Nice 4-0 on aggregate in the round, they proceeded to defeat Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe with a 1-0 win at home to secure their place in the main tournament. The Eagles reached the last 16 stage last season and will wish to go further in their 43rd appearance in the competition.
Club Brugge (Belgium)
Besides Union Saint-Gilloise, Belgium will also have a second team in the 2025-26 Champions League in the form of Club Brugge. Having lost their title defence last season, the 19-time top-flight winners had to settle for a runners-up spot, which earned them a place in the third round of Champions League qualification. There, they edged Salzburg with a thrilling comeback win at home to progress 4-2 on aggregate. However, no such drama was required in the playoffs as they obliterated Scottish giants Rangers 9-1 on aggregate to make it to the main competition for the 17th time. The side managed to grab the final place for the knockout playoffs in the League Phase last season, where they famously downed Serie A heavyweights Atalanta. However, their journey was ended by Aston Villa in the Round of 16 stage.
Copenhagen (Denmark)
FC Copenhagen will return to the Champions League stage after reaching the Round of 16 stage, or any knockout round in the competition, for the first time in their history last year. The Danish giants began in the second qualifying round this season after winning their 16th league title. The side beat Drita with a 3-0 aggregate score at the stage before thrashing Swedish league holders Malmo 5-0 in the third round. It was an intense battle with the Swiss champions FC Basel in the playoffs, but Copenhagen managed to clear that hurdle as well to feature in the main tournament for the fifth time.
Qarabağ (Azerbaijan)
Qarabağ are making their second appearance in the main tournament of the Champions League after a sensational qualifying campaign. The club from Azerbaijan started in the second qualifying round, defeating Irish side Shelbourne FC 4-0 on aggregate before humiliating Ludogorets Razgrad with a 6-1 victory. The playoff stage presented the toughest challenge as they had to resist a comeback from the Hungarian side Ferencváros, ultimately securing a 5-4 aggregate win to achieve their goal.
Bodø/Glimt (Norway)
After impressing in the other UEFA competitions and reaching the semi-final stage of the Europa League last time, Bodø/Glimt will be playing in the Champions League for the first time in their history following a historic qualifying journey. Due to their high coefficient ranking for their performances at the continental level and Norway’s ranking, Glimt began at the playoffs after winning their fourth league title in five years. Having turned a feared side to face in their home for any opposition due to the extreme climate and artificial turf, they hammered Austrian champions Sturm Graz 5-0, which became enough for them to progress as they lost the return leg 2-1 away. Glimt will be the first Norwegian club to play in the competition since Rosenborg in the 2007-08 season.
Pafos (Cyprus)
Also making their debut in the competition are Pafos of Cyprus, after they lifted their first league title in history last season. Adding to their remarkable achievement was their underdog tale of slaying experienced Champions League campaigners in the qualifying round to reach the League Phase. Pafos began in the second round of the qualifiers and caused the first surprise by beating Israeli heavyweights Maccabi Tel Aviv. Then they went a step ahead in beating the most successful club in Ukraine, Dynamo Kyiv, without even conceding a single goal over two legs in the 3-0 aggregate win. Juan Carlos Carcedo’s side did not stop there, as they stunned Serbian top brass Red Star Belgrade in the playoffs, sneaking a 3-2 aggregate win to qualify for the playoffs remarkably.
Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan)
However, the ultimate fairytale story was reserved for Kairat Almaty as they defied all odds to reach the League Phase of the 2025-26 Champions League, taking the longest and most difficult route by starting from the first round of qualifiers. The side beat the Slovenian outfit Olimpija Ljubljana 3-1, but faced the first setback in losing 2-0 away to Finnish side Kuopion Palloseura or KuPS, in the first leg. Rafael Urazbakhtin’s side, though, refused to give up as they made a stunning comeback at home, winning 3-0. It was another hard work for them to triumph against the Slovakian champions Slovan Bratislava, which came on penalties after it finished 1-1 on aggregate.
Yet, the biggest shock was in store when Kairat took on Scottish league giants Celtic in the playoffs, with few giving them any chance of progressing beyond the stage. Instead, the side gave a fantastic effort in denying Brendan Rodgers’ team at their own backyard with a goalless draw, a scoreline they repeated in another solid defensive showing at their home. Kairat’s keeper, 21-year-old Temirlan Anarbekov, who already pulled off decisive saves in 120 minutes and actually played because of the first choice suffering an injury in the first leg, went on to deny three Celtic players to be the hero of the evening. The result meant Kairat Almaty became the second Kazakh club to play in the competition and the most eastern European club to play in the League Phase.
