Aston Villa will return to the Champions League next season after securing a top-five finish in the Premier League and winning the Europa League. Unai Emery's side will discover their Premier League fixtures on Friday at 10am, but their Champions League opponents will not be known until August.
Champions League Format and History
The Champions League, formerly known as the European Cup, will enter its 72nd season in 2026/27, its 35th under the current name, and its third under the new league phase format. Villa reached the quarter-final stage two seasons ago, where they were eliminated by eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Key Dates for the 2026/27 Champions League
Draw Dates
UEFA has confirmed that the league phase draw for the 2026/27 Champions League will take place on Thursday, 27 August. The date for the knockout phase draw has not yet been confirmed.
League Phase Matchdays
- Matchday 1: 8–10 September 2026
- Matchday 2: 13/14 October 2026
- Matchday 3: 20/21 October 2026
- Matchday 4: 3/4 November 2026
- Matchday 5: 24/25 November 2026
- Matchday 6: 8/9 December 2026
- Matchday 7: 19/20 January 2027
- Matchday 8: 27 January 2027
Knockout Phase Dates
- Knockout phase play-offs: 16/17 & 23/24 February 2027
- Round of 16: 9/10 & 16/17 March 2027
- Quarter-finals: 6/7 & 13/14 April 2027
- Semi-finals: 27/28 April & 4/5 May 2027
- Final: 5 June 2027
Qualified Teams
So far, 29 of the 36 clubs participating in the Champions League have been confirmed. The remaining seven teams will battle it out in the qualification play-offs to earn their place in the league phase.
Pot 1
PSG, Bayern, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Inter, Man City, Arsenal, Barcelona, Atletico.
Pot 2
Borussia Dortmund, Sporting, Aston Villa, AS Roma, Porto, Man United, Club Brugge, Real Betis, PSV.
Pot 3
Feyenoord, Lille, Villarreal, Napoli, Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk, Galatasaray.
Pot 4
Slavia Praha, Stuttgart, Como, Lens.
Which teams do you want Villa to play next season? Tell us here.
