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Champions League Draw: Ecuadorian Players to Discover Rivals on August 27

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Three Ecuadorian players, Piero Hincapié (Arsenal), Willian Pacho (PSG), and Joel Ordóñez (Brujas), will participate in the 2026 Champions League.
  • The draw for the league phase will take place in Monaco, involving 36 clubs with a new format of eight matches against different opponents.
  • PSG and Arsenal, both in Pot 1, are strong contenders, while Ordóñez's Brujas is in Pot 2.

The 2026 UEFA Champions League season is set to feature three Ecuadorian talents: Piero Hincapié with Arsenal, Willian Pacho at PSG, and Joel Ordóñez playing for Brujas. These players and their clubs will learn their opponents for the upcoming league phase on Thursday, August 27.

This year's draw, held in Monaco, introduces a revamped format for the 36 participating clubs. Moving away from traditional group stages, each team will now play eight matches against eight distinct opponents, with two games drawn from each of the four seeding pots. This structure aims to increase the number of high-profile matchups and ensure a more dynamic competition.

Defending champions PSG, featuring Pacho, enter the tournament as a formidable force, having secured consecutive titles in 2025 and 2026. They are placed in Pot 1, alongside Hincapié's Arsenal, who are coming off a historic Premier League victory and a near-miss in the previous Champions League final. Ordóñez's Brujas, placed in Pot 2, will aim to build on their previous campaign where they reached the playoffs.

The new league phase will commence on September 8, 2026. After eight rounds, the top eight teams will advance directly to the Round of 16, while those ranked ninth to 24th will compete in a playoff round. Teams finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated, adding significant stakes to every match.

About this summary

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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