Current Champions League champions Paris Saint-Germain celebrate their 2024-2025 season victory. The current UEFA Champions League season runs from Sept. 16 – May 30. (Xavier Laine/Getty Images)
(Xavier Laine via Getty Images)
The annual UEFA Champions League tournament is one of the most prestigious soccer tournaments of the year, featuring the top club teams throughout Europe as they compete for the championship title. Last season, Paris Saint-Germain hoisted the trophy – for the very first time – and they’re returning for a chance to do it all again. Past winners like Real Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern Munchen, and Barcelona will also be back to compete. (You can take a look at what the oddsmakers are saying about which clubs have the best chances heading into this season.)
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Matches for the league phase of the tournament are set to begin this week, so here’s everything you need to know about how to watch those games and the rest of the 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League.
How to watch the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League season:
Dates: Sept. 16, 2025 – May 30, 2026
Streaming: Paramount+
When is the UEFA Champions League season?
The UEFA Champions League begins on Tuesday, Sept. 16 with the start of the league phase. The league phase consists of eight weekends of matches that will be scheduled between September 16, 2025 and January 28, 2026. The knockout phase will then begin on Feb. 17, 2026.
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Where to watch the UEFA Champions League this season:
Every match of the UEFA Champions League league phase will stream on Paramount+.
Paramount+ offers subscribers access to the complete season of UEFA Champions League soccer, so you can watch matches live or watch and stream on demand almost immediately after their conclusion.
A subscription to Paramount+ will get you more than just soccer though, you can also watch the NFL on CBS, Star Trek, Survivor, The Challenge and so much more.
Right now, you can sign up to get a whole year of Paramount+ Essential for just $30 — that’s just $2.50 per month! Or upgrade to Paramount+ Premium and get Showtime access and live CBS for $60 for the year.
Which teams are playing in the UEFA Champions League this year?
The 32 teams that have qualified for the UEFA Champions League league phase are:
What is the UEFA Champions League league phase schedule:
There are eight weekends between September 2025 and January, 2026 with league phase matchups. After these league phase matches finish, the league will move on to the knockout phase of the tournament.
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Matchday 1: September 16-18, 2025
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Matchday 2: September 30-October 1, 2025
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Matchday 3: October 21-22, 2025
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Matchday 4: November 4-5, 2025
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Matchday 5: November 25-26, 2025
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Matchday 6: December 9-10, 2025
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Matchday 7: January 20-21, 2026
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Matchday 8: January 28, 2026
What is this week’s Champions League schedule?
All times Eastern
Matchday 1
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Athletic Club vs. Arsenal, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
PSV Eindhoven vs. Union Saint-Gilloise, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
Real Madrid vs. Marseille, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
Benfica vs. Qarabag, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
Tottenham vs. Villarreal, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
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Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Olympiacos vs. Pafos, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
Slavia Praha vs. Bodo/Glimt, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
Ajax vs. Inter, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
Liverpool vs. Atletico de Madrid, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atalanta, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
Thursday, September 18, 2025
Club Brugge vs. Monaco, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
Copenhagen vs. Leverkuse, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
Frankfurt vs. Galatasaray, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
Manchester City vs. Napoli, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
Newcastle United vs. Barcelona, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
Sporting CP vs. Kairat Almaty, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
When is the 2025-26 Champions League knockout stage?
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Playoff draw: January 30, 2026
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Knockout play-offs: February 17-18 and February 24-25, 2026
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Round of 16: March 10-11 and March 17-18, 2026
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Quarterfinals: April 7-8 and April 14-15, 2026
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Semifinals: April 28-29 and May 5-6, 2026
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Final: Saturday, May 30, 2026