when is the champions league draw
The main UEFA Champions League league‑phase draw for the 2025/26 season will take place on Thursday 28 August 2025 in Monaco, with the ceremony starting at 12:00 ET (17:00 UK).
Quick Scoop
- The draw date is 28 August 2025 , held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.
- It’s for the 36 teams in the new league‑phase format (no more classic eight‑group setup).
- The event starts at 12:00 ET / 17:00 UK , and usually runs for a bit over an hour due to awards and presentations.
- UEFA lists the same date (28 August) as the official league‑phase draw day on its competition schedule.
Other Champions League draw dates (2025/26)
- Qualifying round draws:
- First qualifying: 17 June 2025.
* Second qualifying: 18 June 2025.
* Third qualifying: 21 July 2025.
- Play‑off round draw: 4 August 2025.
- Knockout‑phase draw days:
- Knockout play‑off draw: 30 January 2026.
* Round of 16, quarter‑final, semi‑final and final draw: 27 February 2026.
Handy HTML table of key draw dates
| Stage | Draw date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First qualifying round | 17 June 2025 | Sets up first summer ties. | [3]
| Second qualifying round | 18 June 2025 | Next step toward league phase. | [3]
| Third qualifying round | 21 July 2025 | Includes higher‑ranked clubs entering qualifying. | [1][3]
| Play‑off round | 4 August 2025 | Last hurdle before main league phase. | [3]
| League‑phase draw (main answer to “when is the Champions League draw”) | 28 August 2025 | In Monaco at 12:00 ET / 17:00 UK. | [9][5]
| Knockout play‑off draw | 30 January 2026 | Sets up ties between league‑phase middle seeds. | [8][7]
| Round of 16, quarter‑finals, semi‑finals & final draw | 27 February 2026 | One combined draw covers all remaining rounds. | [7]
Why it’s a trending topic
The question “when is the Champions League draw” keeps popping up on forums and social feeds because the 2025/26 season is only the second year with the new league‑phase (Swiss‑style) format, and fans are still adjusting to one big 36‑team draw instead of classic groups. With big clubs spread across eight different opponents each, supporters are eager to see who their team’s full slate of fixtures will be once the August draw hits.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.