Champions League draw complete: 36 teams and pot distribution revealed

The lineup for the 2026-2027 UEFA Champions League league phase is now complete, with the final qualifiers determined after Wednesday evening's play-off matches. AEK Athens advanced by defeating Levski Sofia, Slovan Bratislava eliminated Celje, Fenerbahce held off Lyon, and Viking caused an upset by knocking out Dinamo Zagreb.

These four clubs join Sabah Baku, Bodo/Glimt, and LASK Linz, who had previously secured their places through the preliminary rounds. The full list of 36 participants is finalized, with 29 clubs having earned direct entry based on their previous season's domestic performance. The draw for the league phase, featuring eight matches per team, is scheduled for Thursday at 7:00 PM.

UEFA has implemented a significant new regulation aimed at preventing the same teams from facing each other in the same stadium for three consecutive seasons. This rule could alter the match pairings during the draw. For instance, potential encounters between Liverpool and Real Madrid, or Inter Milan and Arsenal, might be moved if those specific fixtures have already been hosted by Liverpool or Inter in the last two seasons, respectively. In such cases, the return leg would be played in Madrid or London.