UEFA Champions League in the United Kingdom

Last update at 15 January, 2026⏲️ Reading time: 9 minutes

Just right after the World Cup, no other competition holds the prestige of the UEFA Champions League. It’s the second most anticipated football competition in the UK. During the Champions League, stadiums are packed full with roaring from fans who have travelled from several European countries.

During the Champions League, Clubs come from many European nations like England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and many more. It simply represents the highest level of club football, and it has created some of the most iconic moments in football history. For many UK supporters, it’s not a regular competition; it’s more like a mid-week ritual that’s not skipped.

Now, you may be wondering, why are people invested in this competition? Well, the UEFA Champions League comes with a lot of goodies. In this guide, we'll be breaking down what the competition entails, and also helping you prepare for the competition.

What is the UEFA Champions League?

The UEFA Champions League is a European competition that is organised by the Union of European Football Associations. This competition usually includes club teams from many different European countries, including the United Kingdom. The clubs allowed to participate are usually the best from their domestic leagues. The selection criteria are completely fair, and you’ll find teams from countries like England, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey, Scotland, and many more.

The competition usually starts with qualifying rounds, where clubs from European leagues compete for a place in the main competition. Once that qualification round is completed, the tournament moves into the league phase, where you’ll find the strongest European clubs. In this stage, the teams that qualify will have to play a series of home and away matches, and each win earns them three points, one point is awarded to a draw, and no point is given for a loss.

Based on the results, the teams that rank the highest move on to the knockout rounds. In the knockout stage, one match is played at each team’s stadium until the semi-finals. The competition then ends with a single final match at a neutral venue. The team that wins the final match is crowned champion of Europe.

When is the UEFA Champions League 2025/2026 taking place?

tournament will run from the summer of 2025 to late spring of 2026. The 2025/2026 UEFA Champions League will begin with qualifying rounds in June and July 2025, and in this round, clubs from lower-ranked leagues will compete. After the qualifying round, the main league phase will start in September 2025 and continue throughout autumn into early winter.

The teams will take a short break, and the tournament will resume in the new year with the knockout stages. The knockout stage begins sometime around February 2026. That’s how the competition will continue till it reaches its climax in the Champions League final. The final will be held in late May or early June 2026, at a major European venue.

Complete Fixture List for the UEFA Champions League 2025/2026

Here, we have compiled the fixtures for the UEFA Champions League 2025/2026. Here’s the UEFA Champions League table.

Stage	Date	Details
Qualifying Draw	June 2025	This is when the match-up for the qualifying rounds is determined
Qualifying Rounds	June – July 2025	This is where clubs from lower-ranked leagues compete to reach the main tournament.
Group Stage Draw	Late August 2025	The groups for the main tournament are announced.
League Phase (Group Stage)	September – December 2025	The clubs that qualify face off in groups. And their points determine who advances.
Round of 16 Draw	December 2025	This draw determines who plays whom in the knockout rounds.
Knockout Round Play-offs / Round of 16	February – March 2026	Teams play two matches, and the winner over both games moves on to the quarter-finals.
Quarter-finals Draw	March 2026	This is where who the last eight teams will play is determined.
Quarter-finals	April 2026	The eight remaining teams play two matches each, and the winners move on.
Semi-finals Draw	April 2026	This is where it is decided who the final four teams will play
Semi-finals	April – May 2026	The four remaining teams will battle for a place in the final.
Final	Late May / Early June 2026	It’s a single match that’s held at a major European stadium. This determines the champion.

British Clubs in the History of the UEFA Champions League

Since the creation of the UEFA Champions League, which was formally known as the European Cup in 1955, there have been many legendary moments that have left fans with unforgettable memories. English teams like Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea have sealed their names as legends in Europe.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Liverpool made history by winning the European Cup six times at Anfield. They were faced with some of the best clubs in Europe, but repeatedly came out victorious. As a matter of fact, because of their success, English football gained respect and recognition across Europe. Likewise, Manchester United has won the Champions League 3 times. Their 1999 victory against Bayern Munich, where they scored two goals in the last few minutes, is iconic and cannot be forgotten. Another club that has succeeded in confirming England’s place at the top of European club football is Chelsea. Chelsea won their first-ever Champions League title in 2012 and secured another title in 2021.

The influence of British clubs goes beyond just lifting trophies and titles. It’s more about the emotions, drama, and unforgettable memories that are created in those nights when anything felt possible. We expect the UEFA Champions League 2026 to produce more unforgettable experiences.

Unforgettable Moments

The UEFA Champions League is the most anticipated tournament right after the UEFA World Cup, and the reason for the hype, among many other things, is the unforgettable moments that are created during the tournament. Let’s take a look at some of the most unforgettable moments we’ve experienced in the UEFA Champions League.

Liverpool VS AC Milan 2005 Final: The 2005 Champions League Final is a moment that’s unforgettable in the tournament’s history. Liverpool was down 3-0 to AC Milan at half-time. It was a situation that didn’t look promising to Liverpool, but within the space of six minutes, they scored three goals to equalize the match and won the trophy in a penalty shootout. This is definitely one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League History. Steven Gerrard even called it “the greatest night of my life”. It’s a moment that proved Liverpool’s never-give-up spirit.
Manchester United’s Last-Minute Glory in 1999: This is another victory that cannot be forgotten. Manchester United played against Bayern Munich in the final, and they were just seconds away from defeat when they scored 2 goals in the stoppage time. They secured the trophy with that win, and Sir Alex Ferguson’s reaction summed it up perfectly: “Football, bloody hell.” The win proved again that anything can happen in football.
Chelsea’s Munich Triumph in 2012: In this Champions League final against Bayern Munich, Chelsea was under pressure in Bayern’s home stadium, but they managed to score an equaliser and eventually won on penalties. Many thanks to Didier Drogba, who netted both the equaliser and the decisive penalty. Drogba later said after the match, “I knew it was our night.” It was a victory that Chelsea will never forget, as it was their first UEFA Champions League Trophy.

The Difference Between the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA European Championship

Just in case you don’t know, there is a clear difference between these 2 tournaments even though they’re both organized by UEFA. You should note that the UEFA Champions League 2026 and those before it are all club competitions, where teams like Liverpool, Manchester United, or Chelsea compete against the best clubs from across Europe.

In contrast, the European Championship is a national team tournament, where countries such as England, Germany, or France play for continental glory. A simple way to think about it is: the Champions League is like a battle between club teams, while the Euros is a battle between countries. The Champions League takes place every year, while the Euros happen every four years. In simple terms, one tests clubs, and the other tests nations.

Recent Winners of the UEFA Champions League

In the last decades, there have been teams that have dominated the Champions League and have won the trophy back-to-back.

For example, Real Madrid has lifted more trophies than the Spanish clubs, while the English teams, teams as Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester City, have also done well in the UK. Let’s take a look at the results of the winners of the UEFA Champions League in the last 10 years.

Table of Winners (2015-2025)

Here’s the UEFA Champions League winners' table from 2015 to 2025.

Year	Winner	Runner‑up	Final Score
2014/15	Barcelona	Juventus	3-1
2015/16	Real Madrid	Atlético Madrid	1-1 (5-3 pens)
2016/17	Real Madrid	Juventus	4-1
2017/18	Real Madrid	Liverpool	3-1
2018/19	Liverpool	Tottenham Hotspur	2-0
2019/20	Bayern Munich	Paris Saint‑Germain	1-0
2020/21	Chelsea	Manchester City	1-0
2021/22	Real Madrid	Liverpool	1-0
2022/23	Manchester City	Inter Milan	1-0
2023/24	Real Madrid	Borussia Dortmund	2-0
2024/25	Paris Saint‑Germain	Inter Milan	5-0

Where to Bet on the UEFA Champions League in the UK?

Since the UEFA Champions League is very popular and many football fans always look forward to betting on the matches, there are many bookmakers in the UK that offer betting on the matches, but there are a few things you should note before we go fully into where you can bet on the UEFA Champions League 2026.

You should be at least 18 years old to participate, and the bookmaker you select must be licensed by the UKGC. We’ve tested many licensed bookmakers in the UK, and there are those that stand out for us. Let’s check out some of the best bookmakers you can bet on the UEFA Champions League.

The Best Bookmakers for UK Fans

Here are the best UEFA Champions League betting sites:

BetVictor - Best for Inplay Betting

Betvictor is a multi-award-winning sports betting site where you’ll enjoy betting on football tournaments, including the UEFA Champions League. It supports both pre-match and in-play betting markets and contains features such as Cash Out, Bet Builder, Live Streaming, Live Stats, Early Payout, Enhanced Prices, Bet Calculator, and Live Statistics. BetVictor's In-Play betting section is one of the most advanced, and we recommend it for live betting.

10Bet - Best Mobile App

This is a bookmaker with influence far exceeding the United Kingdom. It has an intuitive & user-friendly app, and the football betting section is robust. The app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play Store. We recommend the 10Bet app.

Betmaze- Best for Competitive Odds

Betmaze is one of the UK’s new betting sites, and there was plenty of hype surrounding it. One unique selling point of this bookmaker is its competitive odds, especially on football matches. Plus, it offers many promotions, including odds boost on Champions League Matches. If you want the best odds and promotions for the Champions League, we recommend this bookmaker.

Comparison of Bookmaker Bonuses

Here’s a quick comparison of the UEFA Champions League betting sites and their unique features. They were mostly preferred in the UEFA Champions League 2025.

Bookmaker	Welcome Bonus	Features
	Deposit £10 and receive £30 in free bets	Cash Out, Bet Builder, Live Streaming, Early Payout, Enhanced Prices, Bet Calculator, Live Statistics
	Bet £10 & Get a £20 free bet	Live Odds, Quick Settlement, Cash Out option, Bet Builder
	100% welcome bonus up to £50	Cash Out, Bet Builder, Live Streaming, Live Statistics

How to Watch the UEFA Champions League in the UK?

There are several channels where you can watch Champions League matches. If you’re interested in watching online, bookmakers like BetVictor and 10Bet offer a live streaming service on their sites. But if you want to watch the UEFA Champions League through official broadcasters, we recommend TNT Sports. TNT Sports holds the main broadcasting rights in the United Kingdom.

You’ll be able to watch matches live on the TNT Sports TV channels, and you can also stream via their official digital platforms. Free-to-air television may also show some games.