Chelsea 2025/26 Champions League likely opponents, pots, draw date and teams in play-off battle

We are now just over a week away from Chelsea discovering their opponents in the 2025/26 edition of the Champions League. The Blues have not featured in Europe's premier competition in the past two seasons, with their last involvement in the Champions League coming in 2022/23 when they exited at the quarter-final stage to Real Madrid.

Enzo Maresca did guide the club to Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup triumphs last term and the hope will be that more trophies are to follow. The Champions League is now operating with a new format and Chelsea will get their first taste of it when the league phase gets underway in September.

Rather than taking part in groups of four as was previously the case, all teams are involved in one big 36-team league table and they each play eight fixtures (four at home, four away) to try and secure their place in the knockout round. Chelsea's eight opponents will all become clear on Thursday, August 28 when the draw is made in Switzerland.

The Blues, who are in Pot 1 for the draw, will be paired against two teams from each of the four pots to determine their opponents. As was the case last season, Chelsea may have to wait a day or two for the exact dates for their eight league phase matches.

We already know 29 of the 36 teams who have already qualified for this season's Champions League, with the final seven to seal their place via the play-off round. Those play-off ties commence from Tuesday night and sides such as Celtic, Rangers, Benfica and Fenerbahce are battling it out for a spot in the 36-team league table.

Ahead of next week's draw, the pots are starting to take shape and six potential Pot 1 opponents are already clear to see as Chelsea cannot come up against fellow Premier League teams Manchester City and Liverpool. So who are the remaining teams fighting it out for Champions League football, who exactly could they face and when do the games take place? You can find all that information and the key dates below:

Champions League play-off round ties

Champions Path

Ferencvaros vs Qarabag

Red Star Belgrade vs Pafos

Bodo/Glimt vs Sturm Graz

Celtic vs Kairat

Basel vs Copenhagen

League Path

Fenerbahce vs Benfica

Rangers vs Club Brugge

Teams already qualified and likely pots

Pot 1: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, PSG, Inter Milan, Chelsea , Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona.

Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt.

Pot 2/3: Tottenham, PSV.

Pot 3: Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Marseille.

Pot 4: AS Monaco, Galatasaray, Union SG, Athletic Club, Newcastle United.

Champions League 2025/26 schedule

League phase

Matchday 1: 16-18 September

Matchday 2: 30 September-1 October

Matchday 3: 21-22 October

Matchday 4: 4-5 November

Matchday 5: 25-26 November

Matchday 6: 9-10 December

Matchday 7: 20-21 January

Matchday 8: 28 January

Knockout phase play-offs

First leg: 17-18 February

Second leg: 24-25 February

Round of 16

First leg: 10-11 March

Second leg: 17-18 March

Quarter-finals

First leg: 7-8 April

Second leg: 14-15 April

Semi-finals

First leg: 28-29 April

Second leg: 5-6 May

Final

Saturday, May 30, 2026 at Puskas Arena, Budapest.

Champions League draw dates

League phase: 28 August

Knockout phase play-offs: 30 January

Round of 16/quarter-finals/semi-finals/final: 27 February

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