Champions League 2025/26 league phase update: Premier League dominates Top 8, four clubs eliminated

he Champions League resumed after a month-long break, with matchday seven producing a series of eye-catching results. Arsenal maintained their perfect record with a seventh straight win, Real Madrid cruised to a 6-1 victory over AS Monaco, and Manchester City were stunned by Bodø/Glimt. Elsewhere, Barcelona and Liverpool claimed vital wins to keep their campaigns on track.

Only one round of fixtures remains, with all matches set to kick off simultaneously at 3:00 AM on 29 January (GMT+7). The final matchday will decide which eight teams qualify directly for the round of 16, which 16 sides move into the play-offs, and which eight clubs exit the competition.

Four teams are already mathematically eliminated after matchday seven. Villarreal and Kazakhstan side Kairat Almaty, both stuck on one point, were the first to bow out. They are followed by Slavia Prague on three points and Eintracht Frankfurt with four, as at least eight points are required to reach the play-offs.

At the top of the table, Arsenal lead the standings with 21 points to become the first team to confirm a place in the round of 16. Bayern Munich have also secured a Top 8 finish with 18 points. Premier League clubs have been particularly strong, with four more English sides joining Arsenal in the Top 8: Liverpool (fourth), Tottenham (fifth), Newcastle (seventh) and Chelsea (eighth). The remaining two positions are currently held by Real Madrid in third and Paris Saint-Germain in sixth.

However, the fight for the Top 8 remains finely balanced. Teams placed from third to eighth are not yet assured of direct qualification, with just three points separating 18th-placed Qarabag from sixth-placed Paris Saint-Germain. PSG are also set to face Newcastle on the final matchday, meaning the loser is likely to drop out of the Top 8.

The Champions League play-offs will take place in February, involving teams ranked from ninth to 24th in the league phase. Eight sides will advance from the play-offs to join the Top 8 in the round of 16, which begins in the second week of March. As a result, the Top 8 teams will enjoy a short break before returning to European action.

The Champions League 2025/26 final will be held at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary, on 30 May 2026.