The waiting is almost over as Newcastle United will soon discover their eight league phase opponents in the Champions League.
It’s been months since the joyful day when Newcastle United secured their Champions League qualification on the final day of last season, and it feels like even longer after a terrible summer.
The Alexander Isak saga has drained a lot of the optimism around the club, while a difficult transfer window in which Eddie Howe has missed out on several top targets hasn’t helped matters.
Signings of Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey have helped lift spirits, though, and there will certainly be excitement surrounding who Newcastle will face in the Champions League.
There are four big away days on the horizon for supporters as well as four European nights under the lights at St. James’ Park.
Here is everything you need to know about the draw.
- Champions League 2025-26: Dates, format, prize money, ranking and new rules for Newcastle United to get used to
What time is the Champions League draw?
The 2025-26 Champions League league phase draw will be held on Thursday, August 28, in Monaco.
The draw will take place at 5pm UK time.
How to watch the Champions League league phase draw?
Thankfully, the draw can be live-streamed for absolutely free.
Both UEFA and TNT Sports will offer a free live stream on their respective websites as well as their YouTube channels.
Champions League draw pots
Newcastle will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots. They will face one team from every pot at home and the other away, for a total of eight fixtures.
Newcastle have been placed in Pot 4. They cannot be drawn against fellow English sides Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea or Tottenham, but otherwise could face any two clubs from each pot.
- Pot 1: PSG, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea
- Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, Club Brugge
- Pot 3: Tottenham, PSV, Ajax, Napoli, Sporting, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Bodo/Glimt, Marseille
- Pot 4: FC Copenhagen, Monaco, Galatasaray, Union Saint-Gilloise, Qarabag, Athletic Club, Newcastle United, Pafos, Kairat Almaty
How does the Champions League league phase work?
The Champions League looks a lot different to when Newcastle were last in the competition in 2023-24.
Instead of being drawn in a group with three other teams and playing each of them home and away, teams now face eight different opponents just once.
The expanded competition sees 36 teams placed in a single league table, despite not playing every team in it, with the top eight qualifying automatically for the last 16.
Teams positioned 9th-16th will then be drawn against sides who finished 17th-24th in a ‘knockout phase’ playoff to determine who fills out the last 16 places.
Teams that finish 24th-36th are eliminated with no route to drop into the Europa League.
Champions League league phase fixture schedule
Newcastle’s fixtures in the league phase will be held in the following weeks.
- Matchday 1: 16–18 September 2025
- Matchday 2: 30 September–1 October 2025
- Matchday 3: 21/22 October 2025
- Matchday 4: 4/5 November 2025
- Matchday 5: 25/26 November 2025
- Matchday 6: 9/10 December 2025
- Matchday 7: 20/21 January 2026
- Matchday 8: 28 January 2026
When are the Champions League knock-out rounds?
Should Newcastle finish in the top 24 and make it to the knock-out stages, here is when their ties will take place.
- Knockout phase play-offs: 17/18 & 24/25 February 2026
- Round of 16: 10/11 & 17/18 March 2026
- Quarter-finals: 7/8 & 14/15 April 2026
- Semi-finals: 28/29 April & 5/6 May 2026
- Final: 30 May 2026
Where is the Champions League 2025-26 final?
The 2026 Champions League final on May 30 will be held in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary.
The game will take place in the Puskas Arena, which hosted the Europa League final in 2023. 2026 will see the final of Europe’s top competition be held in the country for the first time.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
