This year, the competition will continue to use the ‘Swiss-style’ league phase rather than the group stage to which fans had become accustomed.

The draw for the league phase of the 2025/2026 Champions League was conducted on Thursday.
This year, the competition will continue to use the ‘Swiss-style’ league phase rather than the group stage to which fans had become accustomed.
That means that 36 teams will again take part in the competition.
Then the top eight sides will then qualify automatically for the knockout stages, while the teams that finish in ninth to 24th place will be drawn in a two-legged play-off to secure a place in the last 16 of the competition.
Teams ranked 25-36 are eliminated from all competitions.
Here are some of the fixtures:
Bayern Munich will face Chelsea (H), PSG (A), Club Brugge (H), Arsenal (A), Sporting CP (H), PSV (A), Union SG (H), Pafos (A)
Chelsea will play Barcelona (H), Bayern Munich (A), Benfica (H), Atalanta (A), Ajax (H), Napoli (A), Pafos (H), Qarabag (A)
Real Madrid take on Manchester City (H), Liverpool (A), Juventus (H), Benfica (A), Marseille (H), Olympiacos (A), Monaco (H), Kairat Almaty (A)
Inter Milan have been drawn against Liverpool (H), Dortmund (A), Arsenal (H), Atletico Madrid (A), Salavia Praha (H), Ajax (A), Kairat Almaty, Union SG
Borussia Dortmund will face Inter Milan (H), Manchester City, Villarreal, Juventus, Bodo/Glimt, Tottenham, Athletic Club, Copenhagen (A)
Liverpool play Real Madrid (H), Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Frankfurt, PSV, Marseille, Qarabag, Galatasaray (A)
Barcelona take on PSG (H), Chelsea, Frankfurt, Club Brugge, Olympiacos, Slavia Praha, Copenhage, Newcastle (A).

1SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER NOW
Support MATAZ ARISING’ journalism of integrity and credibility.
Good journalism ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.
We ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.
TEXT AD: To advertise here – Email ad@matazarising.com
LATEST POSTS
-
We need more Oloyedes in govt agencies

MaTaZ ArIsInGDallas, Texas I didn’t get a chance to write a retrospective evaluation of Professor Is-haq Oloyede’s tenure as JAMB registrar when most people did after his departure in July because the time of his exit competed with more pressing national discourses that invited my intervention. But I have always been haunted by a gnawing…
-
Fani-Kayode demands justice as two more Nigerians killed in South Africa

MaTaZ ArIsInGDallas, Texas Nigerian High Commissioner-designate to South Africa, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has demanded urgent action by the South African Government to protect Nigerians and bring perpetrators of killings involving Nigerian nationals to justice. Fani-Kayode, reacting to the recent killings of Bishop Michael Taiwo Fakunle and James Uchechukwu Nwankwo in Johannesburg in a statement made…
-
INEC unveils final list of presidential candidates for 2027 election

MaTaZ ArIsInGDallas, Texas The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has released the final list of candidates for the Presidential and National Assembly Elections scheduled for January 2027, featuring 18 political parties and their presidential and vice-presidential candidates. The list, signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Secretary of the Commission, shows that the ruling All Progressives Congress APC…







