Real Madrid set to discover Champions League 25/26 first-round opponents tomorrow
The Whites will be paired with eight other teams and can't play any other Spanish clubs at this stage (6:00pm CEST).
Real Madrid will find out who their first eight opponents in the Champions League 2025/26 will be tomorrow. The draw will be held in Monaco (6:00pm CEST, live on Realmadrid TV), and our team will not be able to face any other Spanish sides in this phase - or more than two opponents from the same country.
The 36 participating teams will be divided into four pots, according to the UEFA coefficient ranking. The clubs will face two opponents from each group, one at home and one away. A computer program will draw the eight opponents and decide on the home and away fixtures. Match dates and times will be announced on Saturday 30 August.
The format
In the first phase, all 36 teams will play in the same league. The top eight go straight through to the round of 16, with the teams from 9th to 24th place playing in an intermediate round of play-offs over two legs. The remaining teams are eliminated, with no access to the Europa League. From the round of 16 onwards, the traditional path is followed until the final, which this season will take place on 30 May 2026 at the Puskas Arena in Budapest (Hungary).
Qualified teams
Spain: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético de Madrid, Athletic Club, and Villarreal.
England: Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle, and Tottenham.
Germany: Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Borussia Dortmund.
Italy: Napoli, Inter Milan, Atalanta, and Juventus.
France: Paris Saint-Germain, Olympique de Marseille, and Monaco.
Netherlands: PSV Eindhoven and Ajax.
Portugal: Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Belgium: Union Saint-Gilloise.
Turkey: Galatasaray.
Greece: Olympiacos.
Czech Republic: Slavia Prague.
Kazakhstan: Kairat Almaty.
Norway: Bodo/Glimt.
Cyprus: Pafos FC.
Azerbaijan: Qarabag.
* There are four spaces left in the draw, which will be filled by the winners of the following ties: Ferencvaros-Qarabag, Rangers-Club Brugge, Basel-Copenhagen and Fenerbahçe-Benfica.