Eight Clubs Have Confirmed Their Places in Next Season’s Champions League

• Eight teams have already secured entry into the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League qualifiers before the current season concludes
• Several of the early entrants come from countries that operate summer leagues due to harsh winter conditions
• Next season’s Champions League final will be held at Atlético Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium, returning to the Spanish capital for the first time since 2019

Eight clubs have already secured their spots in next season’s UEFA Champions League campaign, months before the current edition even reaches its climax.

Matchday four of this season’s Champions League gets underway tonight, featuring a host of blockbuster fixtures, including Liverpool vs Real Madrid at Anfield.

Since the start of the 2017/18 season, Liverpool and Madrid have met seven times, including two Champions League finals, with the Merseyside club managing just one win.

That sole victory came in 2024 when Arne Slot’s side defeated Real 2-0 at Anfield during the league phase, with Kylian Mbappe missing a crucial penalty.

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Other high-stakes clashes include Paris Saint-Germain hosting German giants Bayern Munich, while Juventus welcome Sporting CP.

On Wednesday, European heavyweights return to action as Manchester City face Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray battle Ajax.

Last season’s semi-finalists, Barcelona, will travel to Belgium to face Club Brugge in what promises to be a tightly contested encounter.

All of these clubs are battling to reach this season’s grand finale, which will be held at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary.

However, UEFA has already confirmed the venue for next season’s final, the Metropolitano Stadium, home of Atlético Madrid.

The Spanish capital will host the showpiece event of the 2026/27 Champions League, having previously staged the 2018/19 final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

Clubs already qualified for the 2026/27 UCL

While Europe’s elite continue their pursuit of glory, eight clubs have already entered the qualification process for the 2026/27 campaign, though none have yet booked their place in the new league phase.

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The confirmed entrants include Vikingur Reykjavik (Iceland), Kuopion Palloseura (Finland), and Kauno Zalgiris (Lithuania), all of whom have qualified for the first qualifying round.

They are joined by Shamrock Rovers (Republic of Ireland), Klaksvikar Ítróttarfelag (Faroe Islands), Riga FC (Latvia), and Kairat (Kazakhstan), the latter having featured in the current Champions League season, where they faced Real Madrid and lost 5-0 in their last European outing.

Meanwhile, Mjällby AIF (Sweden) have earned direct entry into the second qualifying round.

Interestingly, three of the eight clubs hail from Scandinavia, where football is played under a different calendar due to severe winter weather conditions.

Frozen, waterlogged, or snow-covered pitches during winter months make play impossible, so their domestic leagues are structured as summer competitions, typically running from March/April to October/November.

Clubs Entered for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League

Vikingur Reykjavik (Iceland)

Kuopion Palloseura (Finland)

Kauno Zalgiris (Lithuania)

Klaksvikar Ítróttarfelag (Faroe Islands)

Riga FC (Latvia)

Kairat (Kazakhstan)

Shamrock Rovers (Republic of Ireland)

Mjällby AIF (Sweden)

UEFA bans two clubs

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that UEFA’s strict stance on integrity and fair play has led to severe sanctions against two European football clubs, each serving a seven-year ban from all continental competitions.

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These punishments stem from disciplinary breaches, including match-fixing and corruption, underscoring UEFA’s commitment to protecting the credibility of European football.

Source: YEN.com.gh