Entertainment
UEFA releases Champions League schedule for expanded 36-team league phase
Real Madrid faces Inter Milan on opening day as UEFA announces dates and match schedules through January 2027.
The short version
- UEFA released the complete fixture schedule for the 36-team Champions League main phase following the Monaco draw.
- Real Madrid will open the tournament by hosting Inter Milan on Sept. 8, while defending champion Paris Saint-Germain starts against Slovan Bratislava on Sept. 9.
- The 36 participating teams will each play eight games, culminating in an 18-match final round on Jan. 27.
- The top eight teams automatically advance to the round of 16, teams ranked 9th through 24th enter a playoff round, and the bottom 12 teams are eliminated.
Key facts
- UEFA published match dates for all 36 teams participating in the eight-game Champions League league phase on Saturday.[Associated Press]
- Real Madrid will open the league phase at home against Inter Milan on Sept. 8.[Associated Press]
- Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain will start its campaign against Slovan Bratislava on Sept. 9.[Associated Press]
- The final match day on Jan. 27 will feature all 18 games kicking off simultaneously at 9 p.m. central European time.[Associated Press]
- The top eight teams in the standings qualify directly for the round of 16, while teams finishing 9th to 24th enter knockout playoffs, and teams from 25th to 36th are eliminated.[Associated Press]