The return of the Champions League anthem at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next season will be a most welcome addition. Last featuring in the competition during the 2022/23 campaign following a disappointing round of 16 exit at the hands of AC Milan, Spurs will be attempting to make their mark against Europe's best sides as Europa League winners.
It just remains to be seen if Ange Postecoglou will be the man to lead them in their Champions League journey amid so much talk about his future right now. football.london understands a decision over the Australian's future as Spurs head coach is unlikely to take place this week.
Regardless of who is in charge come the start of next term, Tottenham have Champions League football to look forward to come September. The competition does have a different look about it since Spurs' last Champions League involvement back in March 2023, though.
Previously operating with eight groups of four prior to the knockout phase commencing, the Champions League now features a 36-team league table that sees the top eight advance to the round of 16 and the sides between ninth and 24th contesting the knockout phase play-offs. All teams play eight league phase games and the majority of the draw is completed by computer due to the complex nature of it.
As ever, clubs will be split into four pots but this time each side is drawn against two teams from each of the pots to determine their eight league fixtures. Tottenham look set to be in Pot 3 as things stand right now but there is a chance they move up to Pot 2 if one of or both Benfica or Club Brugge fail to make it to the league phase.
All the information regarding Champions League pots, draw date and league phase fixture dates can be found below:
Teams already qualified and likely pots
Pot 1: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, PSG, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona.
Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt.
Pot 2/3:Tottenham, PSV.
Pot 3: Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Marseille.
Pot 4: AS Monaco, Galatasaray, Union SG, Athletic Club. Newcastle United.
Champions League 2025/26 schedule
League phase
Matchday 1: 16-18 September
Matchday 2: 30 September-1 October
Matchday 3: 21-22 October
Matchday 4: 4-5 November
Matchday 5: 25-26 November
Matchday 6: 9-10 December
Matchday 7: 20-21 January
Matchday 8: 28 January
Knockout phase play-offs
First leg: 17-18 February
Second leg: 24-25 February
Round of 16
First leg: 10-11 March
Second leg: 17-18 March
Quarter-finals
First leg: 7-8 April
Second leg: 14-15 April
Semi-finals
First leg: 28-29 April
Second leg: 5-6 May
Final
Saturday, May 30, 2026 at Puskas Arena, Budapest.
Champions League draw dates
League phase: 28 August
Knockout phase play-offs: 30 January
Round of 16/quarter-finals/Semi-finals/final: 27 February