UEFA Champions League 2025/26: Full List of 29 Direct Entrants Confirmed — Premier League Secures Unprecedented Six Spots

As the curtains fall on the 2024/25 European domestic football season, the spotlight shifts to the upcoming UEFA Champions League. The 2025/26 edition will feature a revamped format, expanding to 36 teams in the league phase. Of these, 29 teams have secured direct qualification, with the remaining seven spots to be determined through the qualifying rounds.UEFA.com+790min.com+7维基百科+7

Premier League Dominance: Six Teams Qualify Directly

The Premier League has made history by securing six direct entrants into the Champions League, the highest number ever from a single league. This achievement is attributed to both domestic performances and European successes. The qualified English teams are:

• Liverpool (Premier League champions)

  

• Arsenal (Premier League runners-up)

• Manchester City (3rd place)

• Chelsea (4th place)

• Newcastle United (5th place)

• Tottenham Hotspur (Europa League winners)

Tottenham's Europa League triumph over Manchester United not only ended their 17-year trophy drought but also secured their Champions League spot, contributing to the Premier League's record representation. The Scottish Sun

Breakdown of Direct Entrants by League

The distribution of the 29 direct entrants across Europe's top leagues is as follows:

• Spain (5 teams):

  • Barcelona (La Liga champions)

  • Real Madrid

  • Atlético Madrid

  • Athletic Bilbao

  • Villarreal

• Germany (4 teams):

  • Bayern Munich

  • Bayer Leverkusen

  • Eintracht Frankfurt

  • Borussia DortmundReuters+4维基百科+4UEFA.com+4

• Italy (4 teams):

  • Napoli (Serie A champions)

  • Inter Milan

  • Atalanta

  • Juventus90min.com

• France (3 teams):

  • Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1 champions)

  • Marseille

  • MonacoUEFA.comUEFA.com+1维基百科+1

• Netherlands (2 teams):

  • Ajax

  • PSV EindhovenUEFA.com

• Portugal (1 team):

  • Sporting CP

• Belgium (1 team):

  • Union Saint-GilloiseThe Scottish Sun+7维基百科+7Reuters+7

• Turkey (1 team):

  • Galatasaray

• Czech Republic (1 team):

  • Slavia PragueUEFA.com+6维基百科+6维基百科+6

• Greece (1 team):

  • Olympiacos维基百科

Olympiacos benefited from the Champions League titleholder's spot being reallocated, as the titleholder had already qualified through domestic performance.

Seeding for the League Phase Draw

The 36 teams will be divided into four pots based on their UEFA club coefficients for the league phase draw scheduled on August 28, 2025. Each team will play eight matches against eight different opponents, two from each pot, in a Swiss-style format.90min.com+6维基百科+6维基百科+690min.com

Pot 1 (Top Seeds):

• Real Madrid

• Manchester City

• Bayern Munich

• Liverpool

• Paris Saint-Germain

• Inter Milan

• Chelsea

• Borussia Dortmund

• BarcelonaFlashscore+7维基百科+7维基百科+7维基百科+1维基百科+1

Pot 2:

• Arsenal

• Bayer Leverkusen

• Atlético Madrid

• Atalanta

• Villarreal

• Juventus

• Eintracht Frankfurt

• Tottenham Hotspur

• PSV Eindhoven维基百科+2维基百科+2UEFA.com+2

Pot 3:

• Ajax

• Napoli

• Sporting CP

• Olympiacos

• Slavia Prague

• Marseille

• Monaco

• Galatasaray

• Union Saint-Gilloise90min.com维基百科维基百科+2UEFA.com+2维基百科+2

Pot 4:

• Athletic Bilbao

• Newcastle United

• Remaining teams from qualifiers维基百科

The final seven spots and remaining Pot 4 placements will be determined through the qualifying rounds involving teams like Feyenoord, Benfica, Club Brugge, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Celtic. 维基百科+3UEFA.com+390min.com+3

Commentary: A New Era for European Football

The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League marks a significant evolution in European club football. The expanded format and increased representation from top leagues, especially the Premier League's unprecedented six teams, reflect the growing competitiveness and commercial appeal of the tournament.

This season promises thrilling matchups and storylines as clubs from across Europe vie for continental glory. The new format aims to provide more high-stakes games and opportunities for emerging clubs to make their mark on the grand stage.

As the draw approaches, fans eagerly anticipate the clashes that will define the next chapter of European football's premier competition.

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