Hello and welcome to another MARCA in English live blog, this time taking you through the League Phase draw for the 2025/26 Champions League.

Last season's Champions League climax delivered a historic moment: Paris Saint-Germain lifted their first-ever Champions League trophy, emphatically defeating Inter 5-0 in the final held at Munich's Allianz Arena on 31 May 2025. The comprehensive victory marked the largest winning margin in any major European club final, and capped off a remarkable continental treble for PSG under manager Luis Enrique.

As eyes turn to the 2025/26 season, several clubs have already emerged as serious contenders. Liverpool currently heads the odds as the favorite, followed closely by Real Madrid and PSG.

Other clubs consistently mentioned among the frontrunners include Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Real Madrid again, thanks to their experience, squad depth, and European pedigree. Not far behind in futures markets are Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea, poised to challenge.

Each of the 36 teams involved will find out their eight opponents, playing four of them at home, and four of them away. The league phase of the 2025/26 Champions League officially kicks off in mid-September, with Matchday 1 scheduled for September 16-18, 2025.

When is the Champions League draw?

The draw gets underway at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco from 18:00 CEST on Thursday, August 28. That makes it a 17:00 BST start, and 11:00 ET.

Where to watch the Champions League draw

Fans in the UK and Ireland can tune in on TNT Sports 1, with live streaming also available via the Discovery+ app and website. Additionally, the draw will be accessible for free on UEFA.com and the TNT Sports YouTube channel.

Fans in the USA can watch the draw on Paramount+ or UEFA.com.