The final round of play-off matches will take place in the weeks of 18/19 August and 26/27 August
The draw for the final round of play-off ties in the Champions League will take place today, with some of Europe’s biggest teams waiting to see their routes to the competition proper.
The play-offs mark the final hurdle before the competition begins in earnest with the league phase, and clubs including previous winners Benfica and Feyenoord – as well as Rangers and Club Brugge – are in the draw ahead of their own two-legged ties in the third qualifying round.
At the other end of the spectrum, minnows including Pafos and Macedonian side KF Shkendija are hoping to make the league phase for the first time, with every club hoping to reap the rewards of a place in Europe’s premier cup competition.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the draw:
When is the draw?
The draw will take place on Monday, 4 August at 11am BST (12pm local time) at Uefa HQ in Nyon, Switzerland.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the UK can watch the play-off draw on TNT Sports 2 and discovery+, with coverage beginning at 11am.
You can purchase a TNT Sports subscription via discovery+ here, for only £30.99 per month.
Which teams are involved?
Four teams have qualified directly for the play-offs via their results last season. Those sides are Celtic, SturmGraz, Bodo/Glimt and FC Basel.
The teams who win their ties in the third qualifying round will take a place in the play-offs, though as the draw takes place before those ties are played, ‘both’ sides will be in the draw today.
The ties in the third qualifying round are as follows:
OGC Nice (FRA) vs SL Benfica (POR)
FC Salzburg (AUT) vs Club Brugge KV (BEL)
Rangers FC (SCO) vs FC Viktoria Plzeň (CZE)
Feyenoord (NED) vs Fenerbahçe SK (TUR)
Malmö FF (SWE) vs F.C. Copenhagen (DEN)
Lech Poznań (POL) vs FK Crvena Zvezda (SRB)
Ludogorets 1945 (BUL) vs Ferencvárosi TC (HUN)
KF Shkëndija (MKD) vs Qarabağ FK (AZE)
FC Kairat Almaty (KAZ) vs ŠK Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) vs Pafos FC (CYP)
When will the play-off ties be played?
Ties will take place across two legs on 19/20 August and 26/27 August 2025. All ties will kick off at 9pm CET.
What are the important Champions League dates?
League phase matchday 1: 16–18 September 2025
League phase matchday 8: 28 January 2026
Knockout phase play-offs: 17/18 & 24/25 February 2026
Round of 16: 10/11 & 17/18 March 2026
Quarter-finals: 7/8 & 14/15 April 2026
Semi-finals: 28/29 April & 5/6 May 2026
Final: 30 May 2026 (Budapest)
Category: General Sports
