Champions League Playoffs Enter Decisive Week Ahead of Liga-Phase Draw

Most places are already locked in under the 36-team format, with only playoff winners to join.

Overview

First legs in the playoff round produced key advantages for Club Brugge (3-1 at Rangers), Bodø/Glimt (5-0 vs. Sturm Graz) and Qarabag (3-1 at Ferencváros), while Celtic–Kairat and Fenerbahçe–Benfica ended 0-0 and Basel–Copenhagen finished 1-1.
Return legs on 26–27 August will decide the seven remaining entrants, with roughly 29 of 36 Liga-Phase places already secured and the draw scheduled for 28 August.
Germany is represented by Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt, while England fields six clubs after receiving a coefficient bonus spot alongside Spain and Tottenham qualifying as Europa League winners.
The competition’s second season in the 36-team Liga-Phase has each club playing eight different opponents before knockout play-offs in February and the final on 30 May 2026 in Budapest.
In Germany, DAZN will stream 186 Champions League matches in 2025/26, Amazon Prime Video will show 17 Tuesday top games, and Sky offers only a live ticker.