This year's opening round of the qualifying phase will unusually extend from Tuesday to Thursday. This breaks with Champions League tradition, where matches from the group stage to the semifinals are typically held on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.

The change stems from the "exclusive week" concept introduced by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Under this new model, Europe's three top club competitions: the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League, will each have a dedicated week in the fixture calendar.

Matheus Cunha celebrates the opening goal during Manchester United's 4-0 victory over Sabah FK in the Champions League qualifying phase's opening round at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, on Thursday evening, 10/9/2026. *Photo: AP*

Consequently, during the first match week, the Champions League will not share the spotlight with any other European competition. This arrangement allows UEFA to expand television coverage and create more viewing slots for audiences worldwide to follow the matches.

Extending the first match week to three days not only aims to increase coverage but also holds significant economic and entertainment value.

The 18 opening matches are evenly distributed across three days, helping broadcasters avoid situations where too many games occur simultaneously. As a result, fans can watch more live matches without having to choose between concurrent fixtures.

This is expected to significantly boost global viewership, thereby generating greater advertising revenue for both clubs and UEFA.

However, the three-day arrangement applies only to the opening match week of the Champions League qualifying phase. From the second to the penultimate week, the tournament reverts to its familiar two-day schedule on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursdays will then be reserved for the Europa League and Conference League.

In the Champions League qualifying phase's opening round on Tuesday evening, 8/9, Manchester City defeated Porto 2-0 with a brace from Erling Haaland, while Real Madrid beat Inter Milan 2-1. A day later, Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over Napoli, Liverpool came from behind to defeat Atletico 2-1, and Barcelona crushed Feyenoord 5-1. By Thursday evening, notable matches included Manchester United's 4-0 win against Sabah and Bayern Munich's 5-0 triumph over Bodo/Glimt.

Qualifying phase matches will take place from September until late January 2027. The knockout phase will commence with the play-offs in February, followed by the round of 16 in March, quarterfinals in April, and semifinals in May.

The 2026-2027 Champions League final will be held at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, on 5/6. This marks the second time Atletico's home ground has hosted the final, following 2019. Paris Saint-Germain are the champions of the two most recent seasons.

Hong Duy (according to Marca)