UEFA Champions League 2025-26: The 36 Clubs

Thirty-six clubs from sixteen national associations contested the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League league phase, played over eight matchdays between 16 September 2025 and 28 January 2026. England supplied the largest contingent, while eight associations were represented by a single club each. Below is the full field, grouped by country, with the league phase position each club held where one applies.

England: Six Clubs

Arsenal — finished 1st, unbeaten with 24 points, and reached the final.
Liverpool — 3rd with 18 points and a +12 goal difference.
Tottenham — 4th with 17 points and +10.
Chelsea — 6th with 16 points and +7.
Manchester City — 8th with 16 points, entering the round of 16 directly.
Newcastle United — one of six English clubs in the field.

Spain: Five Clubs

Barcelona — 5th with 16 points and +8.
Real Madrid — the 2024-25 holders, eliminated during the league phase.
Atlético Madrid, Athletic Club and Villarreal — the remaining three Spanish entries.

Italy and Germany: Four Clubs Each

Italy — Napoli, Inter, Atalanta and Juventus.
Germany — Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund.
Bayern Munich — 2nd with 21 points and +14, the best finish by a German club.

France: Three Clubs

Paris Saint-Germain — champions after a route that began in 11th place in the league phase.
Marseille and Monaco — the other two French representatives.

Belgium, Netherlands and Portugal: Six Clubs

Belgium — Club Brugge and Union Saint-Gilloise, the latter a first-time league phase club.
Netherlands — PSV and Ajax.
Portugal — Benfica and Sporting CP, with Sporting 7th on 16 points and +6.

Eight Associations With One Club Each

Türkiye — Galatasaray, the sole Turkish representative.
Czechia — Slavia Praha.
Norway — Bodø/Glimt, the first Norwegian club to reach the knockout phase.
Greece — Olympiacos.
Denmark — Copenhagen.
Cyprus — Pafos, a first-time league phase club.
Azerbaijan — Qarabağ.
Kazakhstan — Kairat Almaty, a first-time league phase club.

How the 36 Clubs Were Selected

Most of the field arrived through domestic league positions and the qualifying rounds, with 82 clubs entering qualifying across three rounds. Domestic coefficients determined the pots used for the qualifying play-offs, and the four debutants in the league phase — Bodø/Glimt, Kairat Almaty, Union Saint-Gilloise and Pafos — all earned their place on the field rather than by invitation.

Newcomers, Holders and Eliminations

Four clubs played their first league phase: Bodø/Glimt, Kairat Almaty, Union Saint-Gilloise and Pafos. Twelve clubs finished between 25th and 36th place and left the competition at the league phase stage, including Real Madrid, who arrived as the 2024-25 holders and left without the trophy. The standings are set out in full on our league phase page.