As with last season, 36 clubs will take part in the league phase of the Champions League that will have a league table format. In the league phase, every team plays eight different opponents with four games at home and four away. The opponents will be determined in the draw for the league phase on Thursday night.
The final table will be determined by the results on these eight matchdays. The top eight teams will progress straight to the Round of 16. The other eight places in the Round of 16 will be decided by play-offs over two legs. This will involve the teams finishing in places 9 to 16 facing the teams in places 17 to 24. The teams in places 25 to 36 in the table are eliminated.
The eight clubs who progress through the play-off round complete the Round of 16 line-up. Who the top eight teams in the table play is decided in a draw. From the Round of 16, the Champions League will continue to the final with home and away legs.
Previously the teams that finished higher in the league phase only had the right to be at home in the second leg in the play-offs and the Round of 16. This now applies to the remaining knockout rounds (except for the final of course). From this season, the teams finishing in places 1 to 4 in the table in the league phase will also be at home in the second leg of the quarter-finals, in the semi-final that applies equally to the teams in places one and two or the higher seeded team based on the laegue phase ranking. If one of these higher seeded teams goes out of the competition earlier on then the winner of that fixture have the right to be at home. So, if the team sixteenth in the table beats the team in first place then the team in sixteenth place will have the seeding right for the next round. Also, teams from the same country can play each other in the knock-out rounds.
Bisher hatten die Teams, die in der Tabelle der Ligaphase höher platziert waren, nur in der Zwischenrunde und im Achtelfinale im Rückspiel Heimrecht. Dies gilt nun auch für die restlichen K.-o.-Runden (ausgenommen natürlich das Finale). Ab dieser Saison werden also die Teams der Plätze 1 bis 4 aus der Gesamttabelle der Ligaphase auch im Viertelfinale das Heimrecht im Rückspiel haben, im Halbfinale gilt dies ebenso für die Plätze 1 und 2 bzw. die höher gesetzten Teams basierend auf dem Ligaphasen-Ranking. Scheidet eines dieser höher gesetzten Teams früher aus dem Wettbewerb aus, übernimmt der Sieger der Begegnung das Heimrecht. Sollte also das Team auf Platz 16 gegen das Team auf Platz 1 gewinnen, übernimmt das ursprünglich auf Platz 16 platzierte Team das Seeding-Recht für die nächste Runde. Zudem gibt es keine Länder-Trennung mehr in den K.o.-Phasen.
At the draw for the league phase on Thursday, the 36 participating clubs will again be allocated to four pots according to the UEFA seedings. Bayer 04 are in Pot 2. The Werkself, like any other club, will play two teams from all four pots. Every club is drawn once from the pot during the draw with computer software selecting the eight opponents as well as whether the matches are played home or away. Two clubs from the same country cannot play each other in the league phase. In addition, there is a maximum of two games against opponents from the same country.
The exact timetable of the league phase including match dates and kick-off times does not come from the draw but will probably be announced by UEFA on Friday, 29 August.
Pot 1:
Paris Saint-Germain
Real Madrid
Manchester City
Bayern Munich
Liverpool
Inter Milan
Chelsea
Borussia Dortmund
Barcelona
Pot 3:
Tottenham Hotspur
PSV
Ajax
Napoli
Sporting CF
Olympiacos
Slavia Prague
FK Bodø/Glimt
Marseille
Pot 2:
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Arsenal
Atlético Madrid
Benfica
Atalanta
Villarreal
Juventus
Eintracht Frankfurt
Club Brugge
Pot 4:
Copenhagen
Monaco
Galatasaray
Union Saint-Gilloise
Qarabag
Athletic Club
Newcastle United
Pafos
Kairat Almaty
As in previous years, Champions League matches will be broadcast on the pay-TV channels DAZN and Prime Video. DAZN will broadcast all games except the top match on Tuesdays, which will be shown on Prime Video.
With the qualification of the first team for the UEFA Champions League Bayer 04 will also automatically be in the UEFA Youth League. In the European competition for U19 teams the first six matchdays will be played in parallel to the Champions League: The youth team of the German double winners will play home and away against the same clubs as the Werkself. The only difference: In the Youth League there will be no games on matchday seven and eight in the Champions League – played in the new calendar year. The youth competition will therefore only be played on the first six matchdays.
Following the league phase, the knockout phase will involve teams on the Champions League path and the so-called champions path that involves all European youth champions. From there the opponents in the Youth League will be determined throgh games and will not depend, as previously in the league phase, on the Champions League draw.
A record stage for the Bayer 04 Women in Munich – and fans can get behind their team together in front of the TV. For the opening match in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga on Saturday, 6 September (kick-off: 17:45 CEST) the Werkself have organised a watch party at the Schwadbud. While the team led by coach Roberto Pätzold face Bayern Munich in front of 45,000 spectators at the Allianz Arena, supporters can also provide vocal support from back home. There will also be a star prize raffled amongst everyone taking part.
Show more
The first away game in the 2025/26 Bundesliga season: The Werkself travel to Werder Bremen on matchday two on Saturday, 30 August (kick-off: 15:30 CEST). The Bayer 04 Fan Liaison team brings you the latest information on the fixture at the Weserstadion…
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into the 2025/26 Bundesliga season with another partner in the Sponsors Club. The previous Executive Box partner pure.energy has extended their commitment and taken the established partnership with the current German runners-up to the next highest level. The newly defined cooperation between Bayer 04 and pure.energy is set to run for two years to 30 June 2027.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed the Spanish right-back Lucas Vázquez. The 34-year-old joins on a free transfer following his contract at Real Madrid running out at the end of last season. Vázquez has signed a contract at Leverkusen to 30 June 2027 and he will wear the number 21 jersey for the Werkself.
Show more
Bayer 04 have signed the 34-year-old from Real Madrid. The five-time Champions League winner and four time champion of Spain, whose contract at Real ran out at the end of last season, signed a contract at the Werkself to 30 June 2027. Bayer04.de profiles the versatile and experienced right-back.
Show more
