UCL: All You Need To Know Ahead Of The League Phase Draw on Thursday As Three Clubs Qualify For The First Time
In a thrilling night of UEFA Champions League play-off matches, three clubs have secured their place in the prestigious tournament for the first time in their history: Kairat (Kazakhstan), Bodø/Glimt (Norway), and Pafos FC (Cyprus). Here are all the details you need to know ahead of the league phase draw on Thursday, August 28,2025 in Monaco
Kairat FC Makes History
Kairat FC etched their name in history by defeating Scottish giants Celtic in a dramatic penalty shootout. The young goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov emerged as the hero, saving three penalties to secure a thrilling victory. This marks a significant achievement for Kazakhstan, as Kairat joins FC Astana as the only two teams from the nation to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
Bodø/Glimt’s Remarkable Rise
Norwegian club Bodø/Glimt also celebrated a historic qualification after overcoming Sturm Graz. Having previously reached the semifinals of the Europa League last year, Bodø/Glimt’s transformation from a relegation-fighting team to a dominant force in Norwegian football showcases their impressive development. This marks their first foray into the Champions League following several attempts in the preliminary rounds.
Pafos FC’s Last-Minute Glory
Pafos FC secured their spot in the Champions League with a stunning goal in the 89th minute of their qualifying match. This achievement caps off a remarkable rise for the provincial Cypriot club, which had only begun competing in Europe last season. As reigning champions of Cyprus, Pafos has made significant strides and now prepares to take on the elite of European football.
When is the UEFA Champions League draw and which teams are in it?
European football’s elite – including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and champions PSG – find out their fate for the league phase.
The revamped UEFA Champions League enters its second season in 2025-2026 with the draw for the first stage taking place on Thursday.
The qualification period ended on Wednesday with some shock eliminations, including Scottish powerhouses Glasgow Rangers and Celtic and Turkish giants Fenerbahce.
The league phase will now get under way to decide who qualifies directly for the final knockout stages and who will head into the playoffs or worse – elimination.
Who did Paris Saint-Germain beat to win last season’s Champions League?
French giants PSG stormed to the Champions League trophy with a 5-0 demolition of Italy’s Inter Milan in last season’s final.
Desire Doue grabbed the headlines with his match-winning performance, including two goals for the then-19-year-old.
Where did Real Madrid and Barcelona finish in last season’s Champions League?
Real endured a tough season in Spain and on the continent. The Madrid club were eliminated at the quarterfinal stage by Arsenal.
Los Blancos, who were the defending Champions League winners, also lost their Spanish title to fierce rivals Barcelona.
The Catalan club were widely expected to reach the Champions League final but were eliminated by Inter, who staged a late comeback in the second leg of their record-equalling semifinal.
Are Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City expected to challenge for the Champions League?
The Premier League’s big three are joined by fellow English sides Chelsea, the FIFA Club World Cup winners, and Tottenham, the Europa League winners, in this year’s competition.
All eyes will be on Liverpool, who won a record-equalling 20th Premier League title last season. The Reds also topped last season’s league phase in the Champions League but were eliminated by PSG on penalties in the round of 16.
Arsenal’s impressive run was ended in the last four by PSG while Manchester City were dumped out in the playoffs by fellow strugglers Real.
How many teams will participate in this season’s Champions League?
Last season’s Champions League expanded to 36 clubs from the previous 32-team set-up. The size and format remain the same this time around.
What is the format of this season’s Champions League?
As per last season’s revamp, the 36 qualified teams will play in a league phase with each side playing eight matches based on Thursday’s draw.
The ceremony has four seeded pots of nine clubs to decide who will play whom in the first stage of the competition.
The top eight teams will qualify directly for the round of 16. The following 16 sides will enter into home and away playoffs to reach the next round. The bottom eight teams in the league phase will be eliminated.
Since 2003, the Champions League had featured 32 clubs split into eight groups of four with the top two from each section advancing to the last 16.
How will the seeding affect the draw?
Every club will play two teams from each pot, one at home and one away.
No team will come up against another club from the same domestic league as them, and every club can face a maximum of only two teams from any one country.
What are the pots for the Champions League draw?
Pot 1: Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea
Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, Benfica, Club Brugge
Pot 3: Tottenham Hotspur, PSV Eindhoven, Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Marseille, Bodo/Glimt
Pot 4: Monaco, Galatasaray, Union Saint-Gilloise, Athletic Club, Newcastle United, Pafos, Kairat Almaty, Copenhagen, Qarabag
