November 4, 2025, 8:13 am | Read time: 5 minutes
The UEFA Champions League 2025/26 will feature the format with 36 teams and a league phase instead of the traditional group stage for the second time. We tell you where you can watch all the games live.
The Champions League 25/26 will again be broadcast by DAZN and Amazon Prime Video. Sky misses out, while ZDF shows highlights and takes over the live broadcast of the final. This means soccer fans in Germany are almost entirely reliant on paid streaming services. The format of the Champions League also differs fundamentally from previous seasons.
Champions League 25/26 live on TV and stream
In the upcoming 2025/26 season, DAZN remains the first port of call for CL fans in Germany. The streaming service broadcasts a total of 186 games live. Amazon Prime Video still holds the rights to the selected top game on Tuesday evenings and shows a total of 17 matches. Sky, on the other hand, misses out again: The pay-TV channel only offers a live ticker for the Champions League. The current distribution of rights further provides:
- DAZN broadcasts eight of the nine scheduled games on Tuesday and all matches on Wednesday.
- Amazon Prime Video shows the exclusive top game live and in full on Tuesday.
- Highlights of the games are available every Wednesday on ZDF from 11 p.m.
Champions League 25/26 – Matchday 4: Broadcasts
Here you will find the games involving German teams:
- Tuesday, November 4, 2025, 6:45 p.m., SSC Napoli – Eintracht Frankfurt (DAZN, Digi Sport 2)
- Tuesday, November 4, 2025, 9 p.m., Paris Saint-Germain – FC Bayern Munich (Prime Video, Digi Sport 2, Virgin Media Two)
- Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 9 p.m., Manchester City – Borussia Dortmund (DAZN, Digi Sport 2, RTÉ 2, RTLZwee // Benfica Lisbon – Bayer Leverkusen (DAZN)
Can the Champions League be streamed for free?
In Germany, apart from the final, there are no live broadcasts of the Champions League on free TV. Abroad, the situation is better in some places. For example, in Switzerland, the channels SRF, RTS, and RSI broadcast selected matches (one game per round) live on free TV and live stream. Additional matches are available on TV8 in Italy, Digi Sport in Romania, RTLZwee in Luxembourg, and Virgin Media TV in Ireland.
Due to geoblocking, the matches can only be freely received in the mentioned countries. In Germany, the live streams of the channels are only accessible with a VPN service. For foreign live streams without geo-restrictions, providers like NordVPN or Surfshark are recommended.
Who broadcasts the Champions League final?
For fans who don’t want to spend money, there’s good news about the final. The UEFA Champions League final will take place on May 30, 2026, at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest. ZDF will broadcast it alongside DAZN–regardless of whether a German team is in the final or not.
What does the DAZN subscription cost?
At DAZN, a lot has changed in 2023: New customers can only watch the Champions League with the most expensive package, “DAZN Unlimited.” Currently, DAZN Unlimited costs 44.99 euros per month for this customer group. If you sign up for an annual subscription, you pay 34.99 euros per month. DAZN no longer offers a free trial month.
What does Amazon Prime Video cost?
Amazon Prime Video is part of the Amazon Prime subscription. It costs 8.99 euros per month or 89.90 euros per year. The Champions League broadcasts can be watched in Germany with the basic Prime subscription; no additional package is needed. New customers can test the Prime membership for 30 days for free.
Champions League 25/26: League system instead of group stage
In the 2025/26 season, the Champions League will again operate differently. In addition to the previous increase in clubs from 32 to 36, the new format returns. The group stage with four-team groups is eliminated. Instead, there is a large table with all participants.
- Each team plays against eight different opponents–four home and four away games.
- The top eight teams from the league phase advance directly to the round of 16.
- The teams ranked 9 to 24 compete in a playoff round to advance.
- The twelve lowest-ranked clubs are eliminated, with no relegation to another competition.
- From the round of 16, the competition continues in the usual knockout format.
When are the CL league phase games 2025/26?
- Matchday: September 16–18, 2025
- Matchday: September 30–October 1, 2025
- Matchday: October 21/22, 2025
- Matchday: November 4/5, 2025
- Matchday: November 25/26, 2025
- Matchday: December 9/10, 2025
- Matchday: January 20/21, 2026
- Matchday: January 28, 2026
When is the knockout phase of the Champions League 25/26?
- Draw for the knockout round playoffs: January 30, 2026
- Knockout round playoffs: February 17/18 and 24/25, 2026
- Round of 16: March 10/11 and 17/18, 2026
- Quarterfinals: April 7/8 and 14/15, 2026
- Semifinals: April 28/29 and May 5/6, 2026
- Final at Puskás Aréna, Budapest: May 30, 2026
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Which teams are participating in the Champions League 25/26?
In the 2025/26 season, 36 teams are participating:
- United Kingdom (6): Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Newcastle
- Spain (5): Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Athletic Club, Villarreal
- Italy (4): Inter, Napoli, Juventus, Atalanta
- Germany (4): Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt
- France (3): Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Monaco
- Netherlands (2): Ajax, PSV Eindhoven
- Portugal (2): Benfica, Sporting CP
- Belgium (2): Club Brugge, Union Saint-Gilloise
- Turkey (1): Galatasaray
- Czech Republic (1): Slavia Prague
- Greece (1): Olympiakos
- Norway (1): Bodø/Glimt
- Denmark (1): FC Copenhagen
- Azerbaijan (1): Qarabağ FK
- Cyprus (1): Paphos FC
- Kazakhstan (1): Kairat Almaty
Champions League: Record winners overview
- Real Madrid (15 titles/18 final appearances)
- AC Milan (7/11)
- FC Bayern Munich (6/11)
- FC Liverpool (6/10)
- FC Barcelona (5/8)
- Ajax Amsterdam (4/6)
- Inter Milan (3/6)
- Manchester United (3/5)
- Juventus Turin (2/9)
- Benfica Lisbon (2/7)
- FC Chelsea (2/3)
- Nottingham Forest (2/2)
- FC Porto (2/2)
This means Real Madrid remains the record winner, while from a German perspective, Bayern Munich remains the most successful team in the Champions League 25/26.