As the countdown to the new Premier League season continues, the Champions League picture is also starting to take shape.
The penultimate round of qualifying concluded on Tuesday night, with the league phase draw taking place in just over a fortnight.
So, here is everything Liverpool fans need to know.
When is the Champions League league phase draw?
The Champions League league phase draw will take place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Thursday 27 August. It is scheduled to commence around 5pm (BST). Based on last year, the first balls will be drawn at around 5:30pm, with the draw concluding at around 6pm - all UK time.
What pot are Liverpool in for the Champions League draw?
By virtue of being ranked fourth in the UEFA Club Coefficient ranking, Liverpool are guaranteed to be in Pot 1. However, unlike under the former group stage format, there is not really a tangible sporting benefit to being in a higher pot.
Who has qualified for the Champions League league phase?
29 clubs qualify directly for the league phase, with the other seven spots filled by the winners of the play-off round; more on that in just a second. So, here's who is already guaranteed a place in the draw:
Pot 1
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Bayern Munich
- Real Madrid
- Liverpool
- Internazionale Milano
- Manchester City
- Arsenal
- Barcelona
- Atlético Madrid
Pot 2
- Borussia Dortmund
- AS Roma
- Sporting Clube de Portugal
- Aston Villa
- FC Porto
- Manchester United
- Club Brugge
- Real Betis
- PSV Eindhoven
Pot 3
- Feyenoord
- LOSC Lille
- Napoli
- RB Leipzig
- Villarreal
- Shakhtar Donetsk
- Galatasaray
- + 2 play-off round winners
Pot 4
- Slavia Prague
- VfB Stuttgart
- Como
- Lens
- + 5 play-off round winners
Who is competing in the Champions League play-off round?
Seven Champions League play-offs will take place on 18 & 19 and then 25 & 26 August to determine who joins Europe's elite in the league phase:
- Fenerbahçe vs Olympique Lyonnais
- NEC Nijmegen vs Bodø/Glimt
- Celtic vs LASK
- Levski Sofia vs AEK Athens
- GNK Dinamo Zagreb vs Viking
- ŠK Slovan Bratislava vs NK Celje
- Hapoel Be'er Sheva vs Sabah
The winners of Fenerbahçe vs Lyon are guaranteed to be in pot 3. They would be joined by Bodø/Glimt, if they are victorious, with Dinamo Zagreb and then Celtic next in line to snatch pot 3 status, if the Norwegian side falter. If all three crash out, Slavia Prague will get bumped up.
How does the Champions League league phase work?
This is the third season since UEFA revamped their club competitions, so you might be familiar with the format by now. In case not, or you've merely forgotten, here is a refresher. Liverpool will play eight league phase matches against eight different opponents, four at Anfield and four on the road. They will come up against a team from each pot at home and one team from each pot away.
There are only two restrictions in the draw. Firstly, Andoni Iraola's side cannot face another English club, namely Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United nor Aston Villa.
The Reds can also only face a maximum of two clubs per country. So, for example, if the Reds draw Inter and Roma from pots 1 and 2 respectively, they then could not face Napoli or Como from pots 3 and 4 later on.
The top eight clubs advance straight to the round of 16, while teams ranked nine to 24 will play-off to join them. Those finishing 25th or lower are eliminated. Liverpool topped the inaugural league phase before finishing third last season, but have been ousted by eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain in the knockouts both times thereafter.
Champions League 2026/27 league phase dates
- League phase draw: Thursday 27 August - 5pm (BST) start.
- Matchday 1: 8-10 September.
- Matchday 2: 13 & 14 October.
- Matchday 3: 20 & 21 October.
- Matchday 4: 3 & 4 November.
- Matchday 5: 24 & 25 November.
- Matchday 6: 8 & 9 November.
- Matchday 7: 19 & 20 January.
- Matchday 8: Wednesday 27 January.
Add us as a preferred source on Google