2026/27 Champions League playoff round draw: Fixtures, teams and schedule for final qualifying stage

Although the third qualifying round of the 2026/27 Champions League has yet to begin, UEFA has already held the draw for the playoff round, the final stage of qualification that will determine the last seven clubs to take part in this season’s 36-team league phase. By the end of the 2025/26 campaign, 29 clubs had already booked their spots, leaving teams from across Europe scrambling to claim the remaining seven berths. The first of four qualifying rounds began all the way back on July 7, nearly two weeks before the 2026 World Cup final. Kairat of Kazakhstan, who hosted Real Madrid in last season’s league phase, and Bulgarian champions Levski Sofia, who have previously played in the Champions League group stage, were among the teams taking part and remain in contention as the third qualifying round gets underway this week. The third qualifying round ties, which will be played across two legs on August 4/5 and August 11/12, will decide five of the 14 clubs that will compete in the playoff round. The ties are: Four remaining clubs, all domestic league champions, enter qualifying in the playoff round: Celtic (Scotland), AEK Athens (Greece), LASK (Austria) and Viking (Norway). UEFA’s playoff round draw has thrown up the following matchups, although there is still plenty left to be decided before all of the ties are confirmed. The playoff round ties will also take place over two legs, with matches scheduled for August 18/19 and August 25/26. The draw for the league phase of the 2026/27 Champions League will take place on Thursday, August 27. Twenty-nine of the 36 teams in the league phase qualified directly. They are: Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere. And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.