The Champions League is back - here's everything you need to know

Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time in May 2025

The Champions League is back.

On 16, 17 and 18 September 2025, some of the biggest men's football teams in England will begin their matches in the league stage of this famous European competition.

Even if you know nothing about the Champions League yet, we've got you covered, explaining how it works, which English teams are involved, who they're playing first and which young players to watch out for.

Why are there six English teams in the Champions League?

This season, there are six English clubs in the Champions League. They are Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham.

Usually, the top four teams in England's Premier League qualify, but this time two extra English teams have qualified.

• European Performance Spot (EPS) – Because English clubs performed very well across Europe last season, England earned an extra place. Newcastle United took that spot, finishing fifth in the Premier League last season.

• Europa League winner – Tottenham may have finished in 17th place in the Premier League, but they won the Europa League in 2024-25, and that trophy gives a Champions League place regardless of their Premier League position.

How does the Champions League work?

There are 36 clubs in the league stage of the Champions League.

Each team plays eight matches in this stage, facing eight different opponents, four at home and four away.

The eight opponents are chosen based on a draw that uses four 'pots'. Teams are seeded (ranked) into pots using their recent performance in Europe: Pot 1, Pot 2, Pot 3, Pot 4. Then each club gets drawn to play two opponents from each pot, one at home and one away.

After the eight league matches, the top eight teams in the table go straight to the round of 16 (the first big knockout round).

Teams finishing between 9th and 24th go into a play-off round to try and reach the knockout stages.

Teams ranked 25th to 36th are eliminated from the competition.

Who will the English sides face in this season's Champions League?

Arsenal

16 September 2025 Athletic Club (away)

30 September 2025 Olympiacos (home)

21 October 2025 Atletico Madrid (home)

4 November 2025 Slavia Prague (away)

26 November 2025 Bayern Munich (home)

10 December 2025 Club Brugge (away)

20 January 2025 Inter Milan (away)

28 January 2025 Kairat Almaty (home)

Chelsea

17 September 2025 Bayern Munich (away)

30 September 2025 Benfica (home)

22 October 2025 Ajax (home)

5 November 2025 Qarabag (away)

25 November 2025 Barcelona (home)

9 December 2025 Atalanta (away)

21 January 2025 Pafos (home)

28 January 2025 Napoli (away)

Liverpool

September 17 Atletico Madrid (home)

September 30 Galatasaray (away)

October 22 Eintracht Frankfurt (away)

November 4 Real Madrid (home)

November 26 PSV Eindhoven (home)

December 9 Inter Milan (away)

January 21 Marseille (away)

January 28 Qarabag (home)

Man City

September 18 Napoli (home)

October 1 Monaco (away)

October 21 Villarreal (away)

November 5 Borussia Dortmund (home)

November 25 Bayer Leverkusen (home)

December 10 Real Madrid (away)

January 20 Bodo/Glimt (away)

January 28 Galatasaray (home)

Newcastle

September 18 Barcelona (home)

October 1 Union SG (away)

October 21 Benfica (home)

November 5 Athletic Club (home)

November 25 Olympique Marseille (away)

December 10 Bayer Leverkusen (away)

January 21 PSV Eindhoven (home)

January 28 Paris Saint-Germain (away)

Tottenham

September 16 Villarreal (home)

September 30 Bodo/Glimt (away)

October 22 AS Monaco (away)

November 4 FC Copenhagen (home)

November 26 Paris Saint-Germain (away)

December 9 Slavia Prague (home)

January 20 Borussia Dortmund (home)

January 28 Eintracht Frankfurt (away)

Teen stars to look out for in the Champions League

Some of them might not be old enough to drive, but there are a number of young teenage players who could light up this season's Champions League.

Lamine Yamal, Barcelona, age 18

He's played many games for Barcelona and scored in big matches. He's young, extremely quick and very skilled. Regarded as one of the best players in the world at just 18, the winger has scored 27 times for Barcelona in 112 appearances so far.

Jobe Bellingham, Borussia Dortmund, age 19

Like his brother Jude, Jobe moved from England to Borussia Dortmund, having helped Sunderland win promotion from the Championship last season. The brothers won't meet in the league stage of the Champions League because Dortmund and Real Madrid (where Jude plays) are not drawn to play each other.

Rio Ngumoha, Liverpool, age 17

He became Liverpool's youngest ever Premier League goal scorer when he scored the winner in a 3-2 victory over Newcastle in August, just four days before his 17th birthday.

Max Dowman, Arsenal, age 15

Last month, Dowman became the second-youngest player ever to play in the Premier League when he made his debut against Leeds at 15 years and 235 days. Showing a lot of potential, he's been included in Arsenal's Champions League squad.

Jorrel Hato, Chelsea, age 19

Last season he was named the top under-21 player in the Dutch Eredivisie. In August 2025, he made a big move from Ajax to Chelsea for about £37 million.