2025/26 Champions League Draw: Barcelona, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Chelsea In Pot 1 [See Full List]

 

Barcelona has secured a place in Pot 1 of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League league phase draw, following AS Roma’s failure to qualify on the final day of Serie A. 

The Catalan giants will now join European heavyweights such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich among the top-seeded teams for the second consecutive season.

AS Roma, who were on the brink of Champions League qualification, were once again edged out this time by Juventus, who clinched fourth place in Italy’s top flight. Last season, Roma's hopes were also dashed when Atalanta finished in the top four, preventing Roma from earning a spot via UEFA coefficient rules.

Under UEFA’s new Champions League format, Pot 1 is reserved for the reigning champions and the eight clubs with the highest coefficient rankings over the past five years. Roma currently ranks ninth in UEFA’s coefficient table, while Barcelona sits tenth. With Roma eliminated, Barcelona moves up and takes the final spot in Pot 1.

Despite being in Pot 1, teams are no longer shielded from facing one another in the new league phase format, which replaces the traditional group stage.

Manchester City, under Pep Guardiola, will also be among the Pot 1 teams, while Premier League powerhouses Liverpool and Chelsea join the top tier due to their strong European performance records.

The official draw for the new league phase is scheduled for Thursday, August 28, 2025.

Confirmed Seedings So Far:

POT 1

• Real Madrid

• Manchester City

• Bayern Munich

• Liverpool

• Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)

• Internazionale

• Chelsea

• Borussia Dortmund

• Barcelona

POT 2

• Arsenal

• Bayer Leverkusen

• Atlético Madrid

• Benfica*

• Atalanta

• Villarreal

• Juventus

• Eintracht Frankfurt

• Club Brugge*

• Rangers*

• Shakhtar Donetsk*

*Teams must advance through the qualification rounds.

POT 3 (Likely)

• Ajax Amsterdam

• Napoli

• Sporting CP

• Olympiacos

• Slavia Prague

• Marseille

POT 4 (Projected)

• Celtic

• AS Monaco

• Athletic Club (Bilbao)

• Newcastle United

Pots 3 and 4 will be finalized after the qualification playoffs are completed later this summer.