UEFA Champions League 2025/26: Play-off Highlights, Key Stats, and Upcoming League Phase
The UEFA Champions League of 2025/26 is becoming one of the most exciting seasons in Europe. As Paris Saint-Germain look to defend their maiden title, theatrical play-off confrontations, and rule amendments, the mood is very excited. The fans have seen red cards, penalty shootouts, and unlikely outcomes in qualifiers. Teams such as Bodø/Glimt, Pafos, and Kairat Almaty have secured their positions in the league phase, and Qarabag takes the lead over Ferencváros in the second leg. The eagerly anticipated league phase draw is on 28 August 2025, and this is likely to be a high-intensity season with the top clubs in Europe gearing up for a season of memorable football events.
Tournament History
The 2025/26 season marks the 71st edition of Europe’s premier club competition and the 34th under the Champions League brand. PSG came in as champions of the last edition, in which they won their first UCL championship in 2020.
- Final Venue: Puskás Aréna, Budapest, Hungary, 30 May 2026
- Rewards for Winners: Automatic entry to the 2026–27 UCL group stage, 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup finals, 2029 FIFA Club World Cup group stage, and 2026 UEFA Super Cup vs. Europa League winners
- Historic First: It is the first time that six of the clubs of one nation (England) will be involved as a result of the qualification of Tottenham Hotspur via the 2024/25 Europa League and a high ranking of UEFA coefficient.
Play-off Results: Teams Qualified for Next Round
The play-offs were accompanied by drama in the form of red cards, the tense penalty shoot-out, and outstanding performances. Key results include:
| Date | Match | Result | Notes / Aggregate |
| 21 Aug | Bodø/Glimt vs Sturm Graz | 5–0 | 1st leg |
| 27 Aug | Sturm Graz vs Bodø/Glimt | 2–1 | Bodø/Glimt win 6–2 on aggregate |
| 21 Aug | Celtic vs Kairat Almaty | 0–0 | 1st leg |
| 26 Aug | Kairat Almaty vs Celtic | 0–0 (Kairat win 3–2 pens) | Aggregate 0–0, Kairat advance |
| 21 Aug | Basel vs Copenhagen | 1–1 | Basel received red card |
| 21 Aug | Fenerbahçe vs Benfica | 0–0 | Benfica received red card |
| 20 Aug | Qarabag vs Ferencváros | 3–1 | 1st leg |
| 27 Aug | Ferencváros vs Qarabag | To be played | Qarabag lead 3–1 |
| 27 Aug | Pafos vs Crvena Zvezda | 1–1 | Pafos win 3–2 on aggregate |
Bodø/Glimt, Pafos, and Kairat Almaty were through with a qualification, and Qarabag had the edge before the second leg against Ferencváros.
Top Scorers and Upcoming Fixtures
As the league phase approaches, the top scorers list is already shaping up:
| Player | Club | Goals |
| Mikael Ishak | Lech Poznań | 6 |
| Barnabás Varga | Ferencváros | 5 |
| Bruno Duarte | Crvena Zvezda | 4 |
| Djeidi Gassama | Rangers | 4 |
| Nemanja Bilbija | Zrinjski | 4 |
The league phase draw will take place on Thursday, 28 August 2025, at 08:30 CET and set the stage for a very exciting season with more early confrontations between the best clubs of Europe in the new structure.
Where to Watch:
Paramount Global licenses to show UEFA club tournaments on the CBS network and its streaming platform Paramount+.
