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UEFA Champions League main round draw scheduled for August 27 in Monaco

Thirty-six teams prepare for the expanded league phase running from September through January before the June final in Madrid.

The short version

  • The 2026-2027 UEFA Champions League main round draw takes place on August 27 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.
  • The tournament features 36 teams competing in an eight-match league phase format before moving to knockout rounds.
  • Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain enters the tournament seeking a third consecutive title.
  • The tournament will culminate in the final on June 5 at Madrid's Estadio Metropolitano.

Key facts

  • The main round draw for the 2026-2027 UEFA Champions League takes place on August 27 at 17:00 GMT in Monaco.[Al Jazeera]
  • The tournament features 36 teams, with 29 qualifying via national league positions and the final spots set through qualifying rounds concluding just prior to the draw.[Al Jazeera]
  • Each team in the league phase plays eight matches against two opponents from each of four seeded pots, split evenly between home and away fixtures.[Al Jazeera]
  • The league phase runs from September to January, leading to knockout rounds starting in February and concluding with the final on June 5 at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid.[Al Jazeera]

What remains uncertain

  • The final four qualifying slots remain to be determined during play on Wednesday preceding the draw.[Al Jazeera]

Sources