The UEFA Champions League is back with a bang for the 2025/26 season—and this time, Newcastle United fans have every reason to be excited. After a thrilling end to the Premier League campaign, Newcastle clinched the final qualification spot, finishing fifth and earning their place among Europe’s elite.
UEFA has now officially released all the key dates and structural details of the competition, and here’s everything you need to know as the Magpies prepare for a monumental European journey.
What’s New in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League?
This upcoming season marks the 71st edition of the UEFA Champions League and the 34th since its rebranding. It also comes with the newly expanded league-phase format—no more traditional groups, just one big league table, where each team plays eight different opponents.
The action kicks off on 8 July 2025 with the first qualifying rounds and wraps up with the grand final on 30 May 2026 at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary.
Full Match Calendar & Draw Dates
Here’s a breakdown of every stage and when to mark your calendar:
Qualifying Rounds
Draw: 17 June 2025
Matches: 8/9 & 15/16 July 2025
Draw: 18 June 2025
Matches: 22/23 & 29/30 July 2025
Draw: 21 July 2025
Matches: 5/6 & 12 August 2025
Play-offs
Draw: 4 August 2025
Matches: 19/20 & 26/27 August 2025
League Phase
Draw: 28 August 2025
Matchdays:
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
Knockout Phase
Knockout Round 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 in Budapest
Newcastle’s Road to Europe
Newcastle United’s qualification is nothing short of remarkable. In a dramatic final day of the Premier League season, three of the five clubs competing for the last three Champions League spots stumbled. Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest fell just short, allowing Newcastle to leap into fifth place and secure their Champions League return.
With a passionate fanbase, a rejuvenated squad, and now a place in the biggest football competition in Europe, Newcastle United’s story is just beginning.
What This Means for Newcastle Fans
The road to Budapest begins in earnest in September. For Magpies supporters, it’s time to clear your schedules, dig out your black-and-white scarves, and get ready for eight intense matchdays, knockout drama, and—hopefully—a shot at European glory.
This isn’t just a return to the Champions League; it’s the start of a new chapter for Newcastle United.
Let the adventure begin.
