Following the conclusion of playoff matches on Wednesday, the complete list of 36 teams participating in the main phase of the 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League is now confirmed.
England stands out with the most clubs making it through, marking six teams for the competition: Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle, and Tottenham, the latter entering as the Europa League winner. Spain follows closely with five teams, including FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, and Villarreal.
Italy and Germany each have four representatives. Italy’s clubs include Napoli, Inter Milan, Atalanta, and Juventus, while Germany fields Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Borussia Dortmund. France will see three teams compete as Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, and Monaco move forward, following the unfortunate elimination of Nice by Benfica Lisbon during the third qualifying round.
Outside the top European leagues, other national champions such as PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Portugal, Union Saint-Gilloise, Slavia Prague, Galatasaray, and Olympiakos have secured spots, along with Ajax Amsterdam, runners-up in the Eredivisie.
In notable playoff results, Cyprus’s Pafos FC achieved a historic qualification by knocking out Red Star Belgrade, entering the Champions League for the first time. Kairat Almaty from Kazakhstan and Norway’s FK Bodo/Glimt also progressed after defeating Celtic Glasgow and Sturm Graz, respectively.
Here’s the 2025-2026 Champions League pots lineup:
**Pot 1:**
– Liverpool (ENG)
– Manchester City (ENG)
– Chelsea (ENG)
– FC Barcelona (ESP)
– Real Madrid (ESP)
– Bayern Munich (GER)
– Borussia Dortmund (GER)
– Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
– Inter Milan (ITA)
**Pot 2:**
– Arsenal (ENG)
– Atlético Madrid (ESP)
– Villarreal (ESP)
– Bayer Leverkusen (GER)
– Eintracht Frankfurt (GER)
– Atalanta (ITA)
– Juventus (ITA)
– Club Brugge (BEL)
– Benfica (POR)
**Pot 3:**
– PSV Eindhoven (NED)
– Ajax Amsterdam (NED)
– Napoli (ITA)
– Olympique Marseille (FRA)
– Sporting Portugal (POR)
– Slavia Prague (CZE)
– Olympiakos (GRE)
– Tottenham (ENG)
– Bodo/Glimt (NOR)
**Pot 4:**
– Newcastle (ENG)
– Athletic Bilbao (ESP)
– AS Monaco (FRA)
– Union Saint-Gilloise (BEL)
– Galatasaray (TUR)
– Pafos (CYP)
– Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
– FC Copenhagen (DEN)
– Qarabag (AZE)
As clubs gear up for another exciting season, the draw promises intriguing matchups and fierce competition, with Paris Saint-Germain aiming to defend their title. Football fans around the world eagerly anticipate the unfolding drama of Europe’s premier club tournament.
