When is Champions League draw? Start time, League Phase pots and how to watch today

The Champions League draw is upon us and, for the first time, six Premier League teams will be involved.

English champions Liverpool and runners-up Arsenal are joined by Manchester City, Chelsea and fifth-placed finishers Newcastle. Europa League winners Tottenham are also back in the competition and will compete in the League Phase.

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Paris Saint-Germain are reigning champions, having dismantled Inter Milan in the final last season, and are the favourites to go all the way this season. Six-time winners Liverpool are also heavily tipped, followed by Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid and last season’s semi-finalists Arsenal.

Here’s everything you need to know about the League Phase draw...

When is the Champions League draw?

The draw for the league phase of the 2025/26 Champions League will take place today, Thursday August 28, 2025 from 5pm BST.

The Grimaldi Forum in Monaco will host the event.

Arsenal will hope to go one step further than last season (AFP via Getty Images)

How to watch the Champions League draw

TV channel: The draw will be shown live in the UK on TNT Sports 1. Coverage starts at 5pm BST and the draw will commence shortly after.

Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers will also be able to watch on a live stream online via the Discovery+ app and website.

UEFA.com and the TNT Sports YouTube channel will also show proceedings live for free.

LIVE blog: Follow the draw today with Standard Sport’s live blog.

Champions League draw pots

All 36 qualified clubs have been divided into four pots of six based on their club coefficients at the start of the season.

Pot 1: Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona.

Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, Club Brugge.

Pot 3: Tottenham, PSV, Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Bodo/Glimt, Marseille.

Pot 4: Copenhagen, Monaco, Galatasaray, Union Saint-Gilloise, Qarabag, Athletic Club, Newcastle, Pafos, Kairat.

Back at Europe’s top table: Chelsea (AFP via Getty Images)

When will the Champions League fixtures be played?

Matchday 1: September 16-17, 2025

Matchday 2: September 30-October 1, 2025

Matchday 3: October 21-22, 2025

Matchday 4: November 4-5, 2025

Matchday 5: November 25-26, 2025

Matchday 6: December 9-10, 2025

Matchday 7: January 20-21, 2026

Matchday 8: January 28, 2026