How the new format works
Thirty-six clubs play in a single league table. Each club plays eight different opponents — four at home and four away — rather than a traditional group of four. The top eight go straight to the round of 16, clubs ranked 9th to 24th meet in two-legged knockout play-offs, and the bottom twelve are eliminated.
Because every club now hosts four league-phase matches, there are more big home nights than before — and more chances to see two heavyweight clubs meet before the knockouts.
The 2026-27 calendar
Remaining league-phase matchdays: 3–4 November, 24–25 November and 8–9 December 2026, then 19–20 January and 27 January 2027 (the final matchday is played on a single night). Knockout play-offs follow on 16/17 and 23/24 February, the round of 16 on 9/10 and 16/17 March, the quarter-finals on 6/7 and 13/14 April and the semi-finals on 27/28 April and 4/5 May 2027.
The 2027 final is on Saturday 5 June 2027 at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, home of Atlético de Madrid.
Kick-off times in Korea time
Most matches kick off at 21:00 Central European Time on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, with two early games at 18:45 each night. Between late October and late March that is 05:00 and 02:45 the next morning in Korea; in September, October and from late March onwards it is 04:00 and 01:45. Matches in England start an hour earlier in local time (20:00 and 17:45).
Midweek night matches finish late, and public transport around the stadium is very busy afterwards. Avoid booking an early flight the next morning.
How Champions League tickets are sold
Each home club sells its own Champions League tickets, normally to season-ticket holders and members first, under the same rules as its league matches. UEFA requires the home club to give the visiting club at least 5% of the stadium for away fans; those tickets are sold only through the visiting club.
Final tickets are sold by UEFA through a public ballot on uefa.com in the spring, alongside allocations for the two finalists' supporters. As with any match, check the listing notes and carry your passport on matchday.
Big league-phase nights still to come
Highlights after October 2026 include Atlético de Madrid v Bayern Munich (3 November), Barcelona v Aston Villa (3 November), Manchester City v Napoli and Arsenal v Borussia Dortmund (24 November), Barcelona v Manchester City (8 December), Arsenal v Real Madrid (9 December), Inter v Liverpool (19 January) and Manchester United v Bayern Munich (20 January 2027).
Korean players in the 2026-27 Champions League
As of October 2026, four Korean players are with Champions League clubs: Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Lee Kang-in (Atlético de Madrid, who signed him from Paris Saint-Germain in July 2026), Hwang In-beom (FC Porto) and Lee Han-beom (Club Brugge). Atlético v Bayern on 3 November 2026 is a rare chance to see Lee Kang-in and Kim Min-jae on the same pitch.
Note that the AFC Asian Cup runs from 7 January to 5 February 2027 and overlaps the last two league-phase matchdays, so Korea internationals may be away with the national team then. Squad selection can also change through the season, so check the latest news before you fly.