The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League reaches its league phase climax today, January 28, 2026, with all 36 teams in action simultaneously to determine which eight will advance directly to the round of 16. Six English clubs—Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Chelsea, and Manchester City—are central to the drama, each with a chance to secure automatic qualification and avoid the upcoming play-offs.
Arsenal, with a perfect record of seven wins, has already sealed a last-16 spot and needs only a point against bottom-placed Kairat Almaty to top the table. Bayern Munich is also through, requiring a draw at PSV Eindhoven to ensure a top-two finish. For the other English sides, the stakes are high: Liverpool and Real Madrid, both on 15 points, can secure top-eight places with victories, while Tottenham, on 14 points, faces eliminated Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany.
The battle for the remaining automatic spots is intensely close, with eight teams tied on 13 points separated only by goal difference. Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle, and Chelsea currently occupy the final top-eight positions, but Barcelona, Sporting CP, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, and Atalanta are hot on their heels. Newcastle’s trip to defending champions PSG is particularly pivotal, as even a win might not guarantee advancement due to potential goal difference swings.
Chelsea faces a tough away match against Napoli, coached by their former manager Antonio Conte, with both teams needing points for different reasons. Manchester City hosts Galatasaray, hoping to improve their goal difference and climb into the top eight. The Opta supercomputer predicts that Atletico, City, and Barcelona could edge out PSG, Newcastle, and Chelsea, highlighting the unpredictability of the final round.
Beyond the top eight, the fight for play-off places is equally fierce, with teams from ninth to 24th entering a two-legged tie in February. Clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Marseille, and even Ajax, who have rallied from early losses, still have mathematical chances to qualify. The play-offs will seed teams based on league phase finish, with seeded sides enjoying the advantage of home legs in the decisive return matches.
This final day marks a historic moment in the Champions League, as six clubs from England compete in the league phase for the first time, underscoring the Premier League’s depth in European football. The new 36-team format, introduced to increase competitiveness, has delivered a thrilling conclusion, with every match impacting multiple teams’ fates across the continent.
Fans can expect a night of constant scoreboard watching, as results elsewhere will immediately alter qualification scenarios. The simultaneous kick-offs at 20:00 GMT ensure that drama unfolds in real time, with no team having an informational advantage over others.
Looking ahead, the play-off draw is scheduled for January 30, with ties played on February 17-18 and 24-25. The round of 16 begins in March, leading to the final in Budapest on May 30. Today’s outcomes will not only shape the immediate knockout bracket but also set the tone for the remainder of Europe’s premier club competition.
