Overview
- Matchday 1 was played on September 24–25, with the ligaphase running through January 29, 2026, followed by play-offs on February 19 and 26 and knockout rounds to the May 20 final in Istanbul.
- Each club plays eight single-opponent fixtures in the ligaphase, the top eight advance directly to the round of 16, and places 9–24 contest two-legged play-offs for the remaining spots.
- UEFA confirmed a 36‑team field that includes VfB Stuttgart and SC Freiburg among clubs from across Europe.
- RTL Deutschland holds domestic rights through 2027, with all matches streaming on RTL+ and selected Thursday fixtures airing free-to-air on RTL or Nitro; an RTL+ subscription costs €8.99 per month.
- UEFA’s prize pool totals about €565 million, with payments per ligaphase point reported at €150,000 and the winner earning roughly €21.45 million plus a Champions League berth and a 2026 Super Cup place.