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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
David Irvine

Celtic in Champions League: Entry round, key dates, draw & payments

Celtic secured the top European qualification spot after sealing the Scottish Premiership title.

Brendan Rodgers' side will enter Champions League qualifying next season with the guarantee of league phase football in the Europa League.

Celtic will enter the competition in the Champions League play-off round, meaning they would need to win one two-legged tie to make the league phase.

This season, Celtic automatically qualified for the league phase, but Scotland's coefficient drop means they have to navigate one qualifying round next season.

The draw for the play-off round will take place on August 4, 2025 with the matches to be played on August 19/20 and August 26/27.

While a win would see Celtic advance to the league phase of the Champions League, a loss would not mean a complete exit from European football.

If Celtic lose in the play-off round then they will drop into the league phase of the Europa League next season.


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Clubs competing in the play-off round of the Champions League in 2024/25 received €4.29m (£3.68m). UEFA outlined to prize money in their 2024-27 cycle distribution document but this is subject to confirmation each season.

Celtic could earn a further €18.62m (£15.97m) by competing in the league phase of the competition.

This season, Celtic earned a total of €32.42m (£27.79m) for their efforts in the Champions League, compared to €13.435m (£11.52m) earned by Rangers in the Europa League.

Those figures do not include ticket sale income or legacy payments from UEFA.


Champions League qualifying rounds fixture dates

First qualifying round: 8/9 & 15/16 July 2025 Second qualifying round: 22/23 & 29/30 July 2025 Third qualifying round: 5/6 & 12 August 2025 Play-offs: 19/20 & 26/27 August 2025

When are the league phase matches in the 2025/26 Champions League? 

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

When is the 2025/26 Champions League knockout phase?

Knockout phase 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 (Budapest)


When are the 2025/26 Champions League draws?

First qualifying round: 17 June 2025 Second qualifying round: 18 June 2025 Third qualifying round: 21 July 2025 Play-offs: 4 August 2025 League phase: 28 August 2025 Knockout phase play-offs: 30 January 2026 Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final: 27 February 2026

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