Champions League 2026-27 dates: every matchday, the knockout rounds and the Madrid final

The 2026-27 Champions League will end on Saturday 5 June 2027 at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, home of Atlético Madrid. It is the second final at the stadium after Liverpool beat Tottenham there in 2019.

Before that come eight league phase matchdays and four knockout rounds. Here is the full calendar.

League phase

Matchday	Dates
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

All 18 games on matchday 8 kick off at the same time, so the final table is decided in one night.

Knockout phase

Round	Draw	Matches
Knockout play-offs	29 January 2027	16–17 and 23–24 February
Round of 16	26 February 2027	9–10 and 16–17 March
Quarter-finals	—	6–7 and 13–14 April
Semi-finals	—	27–28 April and 4–5 May
Final	—	Saturday 5 June, Metropolitano, Madrid

How qualification works

Thirty-six clubs play eight games each in a single league table:

• 1st–8th go straight into the round of 16.
• 9th–24th play two-legged knockout play-offs, with 9th–16th seeded.
• 25th–36th are eliminated, with no drop into the Europa League.

Our league phase explainer covers the format in detail, and our matchday 3 preview covers next week's games.

Who is the holder?

Paris Saint-Germain won the last two finals: 5-0 against Inter in Munich in 2025, and on penalties against Arsenal in Budapest in 2026. Real Madrid remain the most successful club with 15 titles. See the full list in our Champions League winners record.

FAQ

Where is the 2027 Champions League final? At the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, on Saturday 5 June 2027.

When is the Champions League round of 16 draw? On 26 February 2027, after the knockout play-offs.

How many teams reach the Champions League round of 16 directly? Eight — the top eight in the league phase table.