The Champions League group stage, now called the "league phase" for 2025-26, starts on September 16-18, 2025. This phase features eight matchdays spread through the autumn and early winter, with the first matches kicking off in mid-September. The draw for the league phase will be held earlier on August 28, 2025, at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. Here are some key points about the 2025-26 Champions League league phase start:
- League phase matches begin September 16-18, 2025.
- There are eight matchdays in total (running through January 2026).
- The format has changed from previous seasons with 36 teams playing in one league table, each playing eight fixtures (not a traditional group stage).
- The full fixture list will be released shortly after the draw on August 28, 2025.
This new format replaces the traditional group stage and is sometimes still referred to as the "group stage" for historical continuity, but it is technically called the league phase now.
