Champions League draw: Slavia Prague remain in pot four

The list of 36 clubs for the 2026/2027 Champions League league phase is now complete. Slavia Prague, who secured direct qualification by winning the Czech league, will learn their opponents at Thursday's draw, which kicks off at 18:00.

The last clubs to join the lineup came through the qualifying rounds — among them LASK Linz, who reached the league phase for the first time in their history with Czech midfielder Kryštof Daněk in their ranks, along with Azerbaijan's Sabah. A trip to the "far east of Europe" — effectively already Asia — will be a daunting prospect for most clubs from central and western Europe.

How the draw works

All 36 teams are split into four pots of nine clubs each. Slavia ended up in pot four, the bottom tier. Each team will draw two opponents from every pot — one to be played at home, the other away. That means the Prague club faces eight demanding and highly challenging fixtures this autumn and in January.

For Slavia, this is a chance to fight for their first Champions League win since September 2007, while for head coach Jindřich Trpišovský, it's a shot at his first-ever success in the competition.

Who could Slavia face

There isn't much to choose from in pot one, which is packed with current and recent champions. A meeting with PSG or Real Madrid — sides Czech clubs rarely encounter — would be a fascinating draw. Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Inter and Arsenal are equally big, if more familiar, names.

Pot two is hardly less star-studded: on paper, Club Brugge look the most approachable opponent, though the pot also includes Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting and Aston Villa.

Pot three features the Turkish duo of Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray, alongside Feyenoord, Shakhtar Donetsk, Villarreal, RB Leipzig, Bodø/Glimt, Lille and Napoli. These remain tough opponents, but Slavia could realistically compete with some of them on home soil.

Pot four naturally offers the most cause for optimism: against Viking, Slovan Bratislava or the aforementioned Sabah, Prague could even be considered favourites. That said, the draw could also pair them with Stuttgart, Lens or AEK Athens.

Country restrictions and the calendar

A reminder of the key rule governing the draw: barring an exception needed to avoid a deadlock, Slavia will face a maximum of two opponents from any single country. That means they cannot be drawn against Bayern, Borussia Dortmund and Leipzig all at once — while England, for example, will send as many as five clubs into the competition.

The opening fixtures of the league phase will be played during the Champions League's dedicated opening week, from 8 to 10 September. Two further rounds follow in October, two in November, one in December and two at the end of January.

Pot breakdown: Pot 1 — PSG, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Inter, Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid. Pot 2 — Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Sporting, Aston Villa, Porto, Manchester United, Club Brugge, Real Betis, PSV. Pot 3 — Feyenoord, Lille, Bodø/Glimt, Napoli, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Fenerbahçe, Shakhtar Donetsk, Galatasaray. Pot 4 — Slavia Prague, Slovan Bratislava, Stuttgart, AEK Athens, LASK Linz, Como, Lens, Viking, Sabah.

Source: sport.cz