This season's Champions League has already delivered more action and drama than ever – and the league phase is almost coming to an end. Out of the 36 teams involved, which one will be crowned champions of Europe?

Important Dates for Champions League 2025/26

The 2025/26 Champions League is well underway, and some of the important dates remaining before the final at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary, include:

Knockout Phase Play-offs:

First legs: February 17–18, 2026
Second legs: February 24–25, 2026

Round of 16, Quarter-final, and Semi-final Draw:

February 27, 2026

Round of 16

First legs: March 10–11, 2026
Second legs: March 17–18, 2026

Quarter-finals

First legs: April 7–8, 2026
Second legs: April 14–15, 2026

Semi-finals

First legs: April 28–29, 2026
Second legs: May 5–6, 2026

Final:

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Favorites to Win Champions League 2025/26

Arsenal are the current outright favourites to win the title, followed closely by Bayern Munich. Manchester City, PSG, Barcelona, and Real Madrid are all consistently listed among the top contenders.

New Format Returns

For a second year in a row, the Champions League follows the new Swiss-style format, which was introduced to add excitement – and increase the number of high-stakes matches during the group stages.

This new format ensures that each team plays a minimum of eight matches, and of these, no more than one meeting against each opponent from other seeded groups. As a result of the new format, teams will be placed into four seeding pots, and this will be based on their performance.

The new format has already proven popular, and it has the potential to change Champions League odds, as teams now face a wider variety of opponents, making upsets more likely!

Interesting Champions League Results

As you make your Champions League bet picks, it helps to recognise some notable events in the past. The same can apply to Premier League betting, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, or other top European competitions. We recommend it as you get a feel for the top-rated competition and what to expect on matchdays.

Real Madrid dominated in 2022 and beat Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool to win the trophy.

There's also Ajax's fairy tale run in 2019. With a young and exciting team, the Dutch team knocked out Real Madrid and Juventus in the Champions League. However, the team narrowly missed out on the final due to a last-minute goal by Tottenham Hotspur.

Barcelona's 'Remontada' in 2017 is also notable. The Catalan club overturned a 4-0 first-leg loss against Paris Saint-Germain with a stunning 6-1 victory in the second leg, which saw them advance to the quarter-finals.

2024/25 Champions League Recap

After finishing 15th in the league phase, PSG became champions for the 2024/25 UCL campaign, after a commanding 5-0 victory over Inter Milan. This made Luis Enrique the second manager in history to win a continental treble twice, previously in 2015 with Barcelona. The official ‘Best Player’ award for the tournament went to Ousmane Dembélé of PSG, while the ‘Best Young Player’ was his teammate Désiré Doué.

How to Bet on the Champions League

The best odds for Champions League events are available at NordicBet. So, if you want to start betting on qualifiers on our sportsbook, simply sign up or log in if you already have an account. Then, browse our Champions League bet sections to find matches for the qualifying rounds.

Rest assured, you'll always find top games to wager on as a football betting fan. Betting on the UCL at NordicBet offers a variety of popular markets, and below are some of the top ones to consider:

Tournament Winner: This involves predicting who'll win the prestigious trophy, and you can place your bet before and during the competition.
Team to Qualify: With the new format that rolled out in 2024/25, you can bet on the teams that'll qualify for the knockouts, beginning with the round of 16.
Top Scorer: This is the market to consider if you want to predict the player who will record the highest number of goals.

In addition to these markets, you'll also find numerous other betting options at NordicBet. This includes 'Match Result,' 'Over/Under Goals,' 'Correct Score,' and 'First Goalscorer,' giving you plenty of additional ways to engage with the action.

Here at NordicBet we also offer a comprehensive live football betting product – complete with options like infographics, streaming, and bet builders – allowing you to place bets in the way you're most comfortable with.

Champions League Betting Tips

Your NordicBet Champions League betting could be a more rewarding experience when you follow expert tips. While outcomes cannot be 100% predicted, applying our expert strategies can reduce the error margin.

A good way to start is by analysing form in European competitions. Teams sometimes perform differently in domestic leagues, so we recommend looking at their past performances for a better overall view. This tip can also be applied to other international club competitions, like betting on Europa League odds.

Some teams have a psychological advantage in the Champions League and during qualifiers, usually based on past encounters. As such, when you consider a Champions League bet, look at historical data for insights into potential results.

We also recommend betting on the knockout stages. The rounds are usually interesting, with comebacks and high-scoring matches likely. So, consider Champions League odds for 'Over/Under' goals, 'Both Teams to Score', or late goals.

Why Bet on the Champions League at NordicBet?

At NordicBet, we make it easy for you to bet Champions League odds and other competitions. Our platform is highly intuitive, and we have standby customer support to assist at any time.

Furthermore, we ensure that betting on Champions League odds is safe with the latest SSL encryption technology and other high-end security measures. Our sportsbook is certified by eCOGRA, so you can expect fair and transparent services all around.

All Football, Champions League

Champions League 2025/26 Odds at NordicBet

Important Dates for Champions League 2025/26

Favorites to Win Champions League 2025/26

New Format Returns

Interesting Champions League Results

2024/25 Champions League Recap

How to Bet on the Champions League

Champions League Betting Tips

Why Bet on the Champions League at NordicBet?

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