Villarreal CF will learn their opponents for the 2026-27 Champions League league phase this Thursday. The draw, held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco from 6pm, will determine the eight teams the Yellow Submarine will face in the new league phase.
The club from La Plana starts from Pot 3, a position that guarantees matches against two teams from Pot 1 and two from Pot 2. This ensures at least four fixtures against European heavyweights. They cannot be drawn against any other Spanish side due to the competition's regulations.
A high-stakes schedule
From the top pot, Villarreal could draw names like Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Manchester City, Inter Milan or Arsenal. From the second tier, options such as Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, Roma, Aston Villa or Porto lie in wait. Their position also means facing two opponents from their own pot and two from Pot 4. This opens the door to tricky fixtures against fellow Pot 3 sides like Napoli, RB Leipzig, Galatasaray or Fenerbahçe, and from Pot 4, which includes champions from smaller leagues and teams coming through the playoff round.
The competition's new format features 36 teams in a single league table. Each club plays eight matches, four at home and four away, facing two opponents from each of the four pots. The top eight qualify directly for the round of 16. Teams finishing between 9th and 24th will play a two-legged playoff for a place in the last 16. Those placed 25th to 36th will be eliminated. The league phase will run from September 8-10 until January 27, 2027.
For Villarreal, returning to Europe's top table, the draw is the first key step of the campaign. A tough draw from Pot 3 could include a trip to a venue as demanding as Galatasaray's. Marcelino García Toral's side is already preparing for a pre-season that will culminate with the start of this European adventure in early September. The complete squad list is available in our squad section.
