The 36 clubs in the 2026/27 Champions League league phase
UEFA’s team guide lists the contenders and highlights different routes into the competition, including Arsenal’s English title and AEK Athens’ play-off success.
The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase began on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, with 36 teams, according to the tournament’s official team guide.
The field includes clubs from a range of European countries. UEFA’s profiles outline contrasting qualification paths: Arsenal entered as first in England, while AEK Athens qualified through the play-offs.
A 36-team field
The teams listed by UEFA are AEK Athens, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Atlético de Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern München, Bodø/Glimt, Borussia Dortmund, Club Brugge, Como, Fenerbahçe, Feyenoord, Galatasaray, Inter, LASK, Leipzig, Lens, Lille, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Napoli, Paris, Porto, PSV, Real Betis, Real Madrid, Roma, Sabah, Shakhtar, Slavia Praha, Slovan Bratislava, Sporting CP, Stuttgart, Viking and Villarreal.
The list spans established European contenders and clubs with varied recent continental experience. UEFA’s guide provides individual profiles, with the available details highlighting AEK Athens and Arsenal.
Different routes for AEK and Arsenal
AEK Athens qualified as play-off winners after winning their 14th Greek league title in 2025/26. UEFA also notes that the club reached the Conference League quarter-finals in coach Marko Nikolić’s first season in charge.
Arsenal qualified as English champions. Their previous campaign included a Champions League final, which they lost to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties, according to UEFA’s profile.
UEFA profiles the contenders
The guide covers each of the 36 teams and gives UEFA coefficient rankings measured at the end of the 2025/26 season. It also includes qualification details and selected club information.
Among the player notes in the published profiles, UEFA identifies Luka Jović as a key player for AEK and Bukayo Saka for Arsenal.
Newsroom
The league phase is under way, with UEFA’s 36-team guide offering a snapshot of the clubs and their paths into the 2026/27 competition.
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Sources
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UEFA Champions League
Official source · 19/10/2026 05:00
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