Champions League Draw 2026/27: UK Time, Pots and Possible Opponents
The Champions League draw time in the UK is 17:00 BST on Thursday 27 August, when Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Aston Villa learn their eight league-phase opponents. Before the ceremony, readers can browse trusted UK betting guides, bookmaker reviews and current offers in one place.
Champions League draw at a glance
The essentials fit neatly into one screen for readers following the ceremony on the move.
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Date and time | Thursday 27 August, 17:00 BST |
| Venue | Monaco |
| UK coverage | TNT Sports; UEFA.com and UEFA.tv |
| Format | 36 clubs, four pots, eight opponents each |
| English clubs | Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd, Aston Villa |
Names are drawn by hand; software assigns valid opponents. Celtic are absent after losing their play-off to LASK 5-4 on aggregate.
Champions League draw pots and possible opponents
Seedings matter, but they do not build a protective wall around the leading clubs.
| English club | Pot | Possible opponents from the same pot |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 1 | PSG, Bayern, Real Madrid, Inter, Barcelona, Atlético |
| Liverpool | 1 | PSG, Bayern, Real Madrid, Inter, Barcelona, Atlético |
| Manchester City | 1 | PSG, Bayern, Real Madrid, Inter, Barcelona, Atlético |
| Manchester United | 2 | Dortmund, Roma, Sporting, Porto, Club Brugge, Betis, PSV |
| Aston Villa | 2 | Dortmund, Roma, Sporting, Porto, Club Brugge, Betis, PSV |
Every English side must also take two opponents from each of the other three pots. Clubs from the same association cannot meet at this stage, so there will be no Arsenal-Liverpool or Manchester derby.
Pot 1 is not a velvet rope: Arsenal, Liverpool and City must still take two elite opponents from their own tier.
UEFA will confirm the remaining Pot 3 and Pot 4 places on Thursday morning.
How the league-phase draw works
The machinery sounds elaborate, although the result is straightforward for supporters.
- Each club receives two opponents from every pot.
- One match against each pot is at home and the other away.
- No club can face a domestic rival or more than two teams from another association.
- The eight fixtures comprise four home games and four away games.
The top eight in the 36-team table qualify directly for the last 16. Teams placed ninth to 24th enter the knockout play-offs; the bottom 12 are eliminated.
Champions League winner odds before the draw
This is the moment when the polished Monaco stage meets football’s untidy appetite for jeopardy: immaculate suits, glowing screens and executives smiling through the possibility of Madrid away in winter. The badge drawn from the bowl creates the headline, but the home-and-away allocation often tells bettors far more about the price.
Indicative market guide checked on 26 August 2026; BetMaze’s live price may differ. Compare again after the draw, when schedule strength and travel become clearer. 18+ Please gamble responsibly.
When are the Champions League fixtures confirmed?
Thursday reveals the opponents, not the complete diary.
| Final league-phase matchday | 27 January 2027 |
|---|---|
| Next step | Date |
| Full schedule published | By Saturday 29 August |
| League phase begins | 8–10 September |
UEFA will add the exact order, dates and kick-off times after checking stadium and broadcast clashes.
