Which teams are in the 2025/26 Youth League?

Entries are now set for the 12th edition of the UEFA Youth League, the second under the current format.

The contenders are split into two paths, the UEFA Champions League path and the domestic champions path, both of which are played through the remainder of the year, before they come together for the knockout phase in 2026.

The UEFA Champions League path will include the 36 youth teams of the clubs that take part in the league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League. The league stage will mirror the Champions League (with fixtures decided by the same draw on Thursday 28 August) but is limited to the first six matchdays, meaning three home games and three away.

The domestic champions path includes the domestic youth champions of all 50 UEFA member associations which have entered. There will be three rounds of two-legged ties, with 30 clubs starting directly in the second round. The draw is at 18:00 CET on Monday 1 September.

If a club qualifies for both the Champions League path and the domestic champions path, they automatically participate in the Champions League path and the vacancy in the domestic path is filled by the runners-up of the same association.

Who is in this season's UEFA Youth League?

UEFA Champions League path

• Played in the same format as the senior UEFA Champions League with one league of 36 teams. The fixture list will follow the same schedule as the first six matchdays of the UEFA Champions League.
• The top 22 clubs after the six matchdays progress to the round of 32.

England: Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy: Napoli, Inter, Atalanta, Juventus
Spain: Barcelona (holders), Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Athletic Club, Villarreal
Germany: Bayern München, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund
France: Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Monaco
Netherlands: PSV Eindhoven, Ajax
Portugal: Sporting CP, Benfica
Belgium: Union SG, Club Brugge
Türkiye: Galatasaray
Czechia: Slavia Praha
Norway: Bodø/Glimt
Greece: Olympiacos
Denmark: Copenhagen
Cyprus: Pafos
Azerbaijan: Qarabağ
Kazakhstan: Kairat Almaty

Domestic champions path

• Played as three rounds of two-legged ties, all drawn on Monday 1 September.
• The 20 clubs from the lowest-ranked entering associations will begin in the first round.
• Clubs from the 30 top-ranked entering associations will begin their campaigns in the second round.
• The ten third-round winners will progress to the round of 32.

Enter in second round
England: Aston Villa
Italy: Fiorentina*
Spain: Real Betis
Germany: Köln
France: Nantes*
Netherlands: AZ Alkmaar*
Portugal: Porto*
Belgium: Genk
Türkiye: Trabzonspor
Czecha: Baník Ostrava
Scotland: Hibernian
Switzerland: Basel
Austria: Austria Wien
Norway: Brann
Greece: PAOK*
Denmark: Midtjylland
Israel: Maccabi Haifa
Ukraine: Dynamo Kyiv
Serbia: Crvena Zvezda
Croatia: Lokomotiva Zagreb
Poland: Legia Warszawa
Cyprus: AEK Larnaca*
Hungary: Puskás Akadémia
Sweden: Brommapojkarna
Romania: FCSB
Bulgaria: Ludogorets 
Azerbaijan: Sabah
Slovakia: Žilina
Slovenia: Bravo
Kosovo: 2 Korriku

Enter in first round
Kazakhstan: Ordabasy*
Finland: HJK Helsinki
Republic of Ireland: Shelbourne
Latvia: Jelgava
Faroe Islands: Víkingur
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Zrinjski Mostar
Iceland: KA Akureyri
Northern Ireland: Larne
Luxembourg: Racing Union Luxembourg
Lithuania: NFA Be1
Malta: Naxxar Lions
Georgia: Dinamo Tbilisi
Albania: Skenderbeu
Estonia: Narva Trans
Belarus: Dinamo-Minsk
North Macedonia: Rabotnički
Andorra: Inter Escaldes
Wales: Haverfordwest County
Montenegro: Budućnost Podgorica
Gibraltar: Lincoln Red Imps

*As Inter, Paris Saint-Germain, PSV EIndhoven, Benfica, Olympiacos, Pafos and Kairat Almaty qualified for the senior UEFA Champions League, they are replaced respectively in the domestic champions path by domestic youth runners-up Fiorentina, Nantes, AZ, Porto, PAOK, AEK Larnaca and Ordabasy.

Team guide

• Along with holders Barcelona, the first three-time winners, other past champions involved are twice victors Chelsea, plus AZ Alkmaar, Benfica, Olympiacos, Porto and Real Madrid.

• Last season's beaten finalists Trabzonspor are involved along with past runners-up Paris Saint-Germain.

• Atlético, Barcelona, Bayern, Benfica, Manchester City, Paris and Real Madrid maintain their perfect record of having entered all 12 editions of this competition, which began in 2013/14 (the 2020/21 edition was cancelled).

• Making their debuts are AEK Larnaca, Baník Ostrava, Bodø/Glimt, Bravo, Brommapojkarna, Fiorentina, Haverfordwest County, Inter Escaldes, KA Akureyri, Larne, Narva Trans, Naxxar Lions, NFA Be1, Odabasy, Rabotnički, Shelbourne, Skenderbeu, Union SG and Víkingur. For Naxxar Lions and NFA Be1 is it their clubs' first appearances in any UEFA competition.

Knockouts & final four

A single knockout phase will be played with one-leg ties starting with the round of 32. The clubs ranked 1 to 6 (Champions League path) will play against the clubs ranked 17 to 22. The clubs ranked 7 to 16 will face the ten clubs that qualify via the domestic champions path.

A further open draw will be held for the round of 16 onwards.

The tournament will conclude with a final four (semi-finals and final) played in Nyon on 17 and 20 April.

 Draw and match dates

UEFA Champions League path
Draw: 18:00 CET, 28 August, Monaco
Matchday 1: 16/17/18 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

Domestic champions path
Draw: 18:00 CET, 1 September, Nyon
First round first leg: 17 September
First round second leg: 1 October
Second round first leg: 22 October
Second round second leg: 5 November
Third round first leg: 26 November
Third round second leg: 10 December

Knockout phase
Round of 32 draw: 12 December, Nyon
Round of 32: 3/4 February
Knockout draw (round of 16 onwards): 6 February, Nyon
Round of 16: 24/25 February
Quarter-finals: 17/18 March
Semi-finals: 17 April (Colovray Sports Centre, Nyon)
Final: 20 April (Colovray Sports Centre, Nyon)