Overview

• The league-phase draw takes place Friday at 6 a.m. ET in Nyon with coverage on CBS Sports Golazo Network and ESPN's live blog.
• Nine clubs hold automatic places — Arsenal (titleholders), Lyon, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg, Barcelona, Chelsea, Benfica and Juventus — joined by qualifiers Paris FC, Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Manchester United, Roma, Twente, Vålerenga, St. Pölten and OH Leuven.
• Seeding places 18 teams into three coefficient-based pots, pairing each club with two opponents from each pot, with one home and one away, and with protection against same-association matchups.
• The single-table phase gives each team six games against six different opponents, with the top four advancing to the quarterfinals, places five through 12 entering two-legged playoffs, and the bottom six eliminated.
• Matchdays run Oct. 7–Dec. 17, playoffs are in February, quarterfinals run late March to early April, semifinals late April to early May, and the final is slated for May 22–24, 2026 at Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo.