The 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League season is in full swing, featuring thrilling matches and unexpected twists. The final, the culmination of this prestigious competition, will take place on May 30, 2026, at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary. This will be the first time this stadium has hosted a Champions League final.
The league phase of the competition began on September 16, 2025, and concluded on January 28, 2026. This phase saw 36 teams compete, all vying for one of the 24 qualifying spots for the knockout phase. Among the participants, Bodø/Glimt, Kairat, Pafos, and Union Saint-Gilloise made their debut appearances in the competition. Kairat, based in Almaty, became the easternmost team to ever qualify for the Champions League group stage. Additionally, Bodø/Glimt, based in Bodø within the Arctic Circle, became the northernmost European team to participate in the Champions League.
The draw for the knockout phase play-offs was held on January 30, 2026. Teams ranked 9th to 16th were seeded, thus playing the return legs at home. The first legs were played on February 17 and 18, and the second legs on February 24 and 25, 2026.
Several teams are still in contention for the title, including Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Liverpool. The quarter-finals promise explosive confrontations, with matches such as PSG vs. Liverpool, Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich, Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid, and Sporting vs. Arsenal. The winner of the 2025-2026 Champions League will automatically qualify for the league phase of the 2026-2027 Champions League.
The 2025-2026 edition marks a first with the presence of six English clubs, with Tottenham Hotspur securing an additional spot thanks to their victory in the Europa League the previous season.
