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The 2026–27 Champions League is already underway after multiple qualifying rounds, but the competition officially gets going next month.
The league phase, now entering its third edition, begins on Sep. 8 and features 36 of Europe's top clubs competing in a single unified standings table. Each side plays just eight matches, and which teams will face each other in the battle for a knockout stage spot won't be revealed until Thursday.
The draw for the Champions League league phase takes place on Aug. 27 at 12 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT, 5 p.m. BST, 6 p.m. CET), with five Premier League clubs anxiously waiting to learn their eight group-stage opponents.
Here's a look at the best and worst-case scenarios for the English clubs involved.
2026–27 Champions League League Phase Pots—As it Stands
Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
Paris Saint-Germain | Borussia Dortmund | Feyenoord | Slovan Bratislava/Celje |
Bayern Munich | Roma | Lille | VfB Stuttgart |
Real Madrid | Sporting Lisbon | Napoli | Levski Sofia/AEK Athens |
Liverpool | Aston Villa | RB Leipzig | Como |
Inter Milan | Porto | Villarreal | Lens |
Manchester City | Manchester United | Shakhtar Donetsk | Sabah |
Arsenal | Club Brugge | Galatasaray | LASK |
Barcelona | Real Betis | Fenerbahçe/Lyon | Slavia Prague |
Best Possible Draw for Premier League Clubs
There are a few key rules that Premier League clubs will need to keep in mind ahead of Thursday's draw.
First, each club will face two teams from each of the four pots — ranked from strongest to weakest by UEFA coefficient — with one home and one away fixture per pot. Second, no two English clubs can be drawn against each other in the league phase. Third, no club can face more than two teams from the same country.
Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City are all seeded in Pot 1, while returning sides Aston Villa and Manchester United find themselves in Pot 2. At the time of writing, the final pot placements for some clubs remain uncertain as several qualification ties are yet to be decided.
There are some dangerous sides in Pot 1 alongside the English trio, but Atlético Madrid and Inter represent the more manageable options. Both will be tough tests, yet Arsenal and Liverpool managed to beat each of them during last season's league phase.
Pot 2 contains some difficult opponents, including Villa and United themselves, but matchups withClub Brugge and PSV Eindhovenare unlikely to cause too much concern for any of the five Premier League clubs involved.
From Pot 3, Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk are not the most daunting of opponents, and an away fixture against them in the league phase would only require a short journey to Chelsea's Stamford Bridge — where they host their games due to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Feyenoord, also in Pot 3, are similarly unlikely to strike fear into their rivals.
Azerbaijani newcomers Sabah currently represent the most favorable draw for Premier League heavyweights, as the club is making its very first appearance in a UEFA competition group or league phase. Slovenian outfit Celje have yet to qualify, but would be a manageable opponent if they can overcome Slovan Bratislava in Wednesday's playoff second leg.
Worst Possible Draw for Premier League Clubs
It's fairly obvious who Premier League clubs are hoping to avoid: Paris Saint-Germain. The reigning back-to-back Champions League champions are once again the frontrunners after defeating Arsenal in last season's final and eliminating Liverpool in the two campaigns prior.
They share Pot 1 with the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, both of whom are equally undesirable draws, but it's La Liga title holders Barcelona who, after PSG, will be most dreaded by English clubs. The prospect of facing the likes of Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Raphinha and Rodri is one few would welcome.
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Borussia Dortmund have consistently proven to be awkward opponents in European competition and reached the final as recently as 2024. They remain capable of troubling English sides, as does Portugal's Sporting CP — also drawn from Pot 2.
2024–25 Serie A winners Napoli appear to be the most dangerous side in Pot 3, with the Italian club now guided by Max Allegri. Other notable names in the same pot include RB Leipzig and Villarreal, though a potential trip to Galatasaray — where Liverpool suffered two defeats last season — is arguably the most worrying prospect.
Pot 4 also carries its share of threats. European newcomers Como should not be taken lightly under the astute management of Cesc Fàbregas, while Lens, who recently claimed the Trophée des Champions against PSG, are an increasingly dangerous outfit.