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Excitement Builds as UEFA Champions League Season Begins

From Cumhuriyet · () Turkish

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

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • The 2026-27 UEFA Champions League league phase will open with 18 matches, including Galatasaray against Sporting and Fenerbahçe against Roma.
  • Thirty-six teams will compete in the league phase, with the top eight advancing directly to the last 16 and teams ranked ninth through 24th entering playoffs.
  • UEFA will hold a moment of silence and display a banner supporting people affected by the floods in Nepal.

The new UEFA Champions League season begins with 18 matches in its opening week, as Europe’s leading club competition moves into the 2026-27 league phase.

Galatasaray will travel to Portugal to face Sporting on Wednesday, while Fenerbahçe will host Italy’s Roma on Thursday. The opening schedule also includes Real Madrid against Inter, Porto against Manchester City, Napoli against Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain against Slovan Bratislava and Bayern Munich against Bodo/Glimt.

The league phase features 36 teams. After eight matches, the top eight sides will advance directly to the last 16. Teams finishing from ninth to 24th will compete in two-legged playoffs for the remaining last-16 places. Clubs outside the top 24 will leave the competition.

Before Champions League matches, UEFA will hold a moment of silence for people affected by the floods in Nepal on Aug. 26. Stadiums will also display a banner reading, “You are not alone, Nepal.” UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said the European football family would stand together to offer condolences and support to the people of Nepal.

The entire European football family will stand together before this week’s matches to offer our deepest condolences and support to the people of Nepal. We wish them strength and resilience during this tragedy and its aftermath.

· Aleksander CeferinThe UEFA president described the planned tribute to people affected by the floods in Nepal.
About this summary

Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. 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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