The Champions League league phase draw took place on Thursday, Aug. 28, as 36 teams from across Europe learned the eight opponents they will face between September and January.
If you missed last year’s competition and are wondering where the traditional group stage went, UEFA did away with groups of four in 2024–25 promising a more exciting format with big names facing off more frequently throughout the tournament. Teams play eight games while competing in a table. Points are awarded the same, three for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss, and the top 24 teams in the table advance to the next round. The top eight of those 24 get a bye directly to the round of 16 while the 16 other sides compete in a playoff round to advance.
Fans anxiously watched on as Zlatan Ibrahimović and Kaká drew team names from four pots to determine who would play who. And, of course, after the results, they eagerly celebrated—or complained—about how difficult their draws seemed on paper.
Statistical gurus have crunched the numbers, deciphering which teams have received the easiest and hardest draws per their power rankings, and point out that Paris Saint-Germain were deemed to have the most difficult set of games in 2024–25—they went on to silence their doubters and claim a first-ever European crown.
Here’s how the 2025-26 schedule stacks up.
