The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League league phase is officially complete after Benfica, Club Brugge, Qarabağ and Copenhagen sealed the final four spots in Wednesday’s play-off second legs.
The victories confirm the expanded 36-team line-up, with the league phase draw scheduled for Thursday at 18:00 CET in Monaco.
Kairat Almaty made history on Tuesday, earning a maiden Champions League appearance after edging Celtic 3-2 on penalties in Kazakhstan. Norway’s Bodø/Glimt also advanced, progressing 6-2 on aggregate despite a 2-1 defeat at Sturm Graz, while Cyprus’ Pafos FC celebrated their first-ever qualification by eliminating Red Star Belgrade 3-2 on aggregate.
At the Estádio da Luz, Benfica secured their place thanks to Kerem Aktürkoğlu’s first-half strike, which was enough for a narrow 1-0 aggregate win over Fenerbahçe. In Baku, Qarabağ overcame Ferencváros 5-4 on aggregate, while Copenhagen defeated Basel 2-0 on the night (3-1 aggregate) with goals from Andreas Cornelius and Youssoufa Moukoko.
The night’s most emphatic result came in Belgium, where Club Brugge crushed Rangers 6-0, sealing a 9-1 aggregate victory and booking their eighth Champions League campaign in the last decade.
Full 36-Team Line-Up
Ajax (NED), Arsenal (ENG), Atalanta (ITA), Athletic Club (ESP), Atlético de Madrid (ESP), Barcelona (ESP), Bayern München (GER), Benfica (POR), Bodø/Glimt (NOR), Borussia Dortmund (GER), Chelsea (ENG), Club Brugge (BEL), Copenhagen (DEN), Frankfurt (GER), Galatasaray (TUR), Inter (ITA), Juventus (ITA), Kairat Almaty (KAZ), Leverkusen (GER), Liverpool (ENG), Man City (ENG), Marseille (FRA), Monaco (FRA), Napoli (ITA), Newcastle (ENG), Olympiacos (GRE), Pafos (CYP), Paris (FRA), PSV (NED), Qarabağ (AZE), Real Madrid (ESP), Slavia Praha (CZE), Sporting CP (POR), Tottenham (ENG), Union SG (BEL), Villarreal (ESP).
The draw will use UEFA’s software-assisted system to assign each team eight unique opponents, with fixtures confirmed by Friday, 30 August.
With the line-up complete, Europe’s biggest clubs — along with four debutants — now await their fate in the reformed Champions League league phase.
Tosin Oyediran
