The Premier League is England’s top domestic league: 20 English clubs play 38 matches each from August to May. The UEFA Champions League is a separate European club competition, with 36 clubs in its league phase and then knockout rounds.
They are different competitions
The Premier League decides the champion of England’s top flight. Clubs play home and away across the season, and the team with the most points wins the title.
The Champions League is run by UEFA and brings together clubs from across Europe. It does not decide the English champion; it crowns the top club in Europe through a league phase followed by knockouts.
| Item | Premier League | UEFA Champions League |
|---|---|---|
| Organiser | The Premier League | UEFA |
| Clubs | 20 English clubs | 36 clubs from across Europe in the league phase |
| Format | 38 matches each, home and away; most points win the title | 8 league-phase matches each, then knockout rounds and a one-match final |
| 2026/27 dates | 21 August 2026 to 30 May 2027 | 8 September 2026 to the final on 5 June 2027 |
| How English clubs get in | Promotion from the Championship | Top four, or fifth when the league has the European Performance Spot, or by winning the Champions League or Europa League |
How the schedules and formats work
The Premier League season runs from 21 August 2026 to 30 May 2027, with 380 matches in total. It is built around a full domestic league campaign.
In the Champions League, the 2026/27 league phase has 8 rounds of matches from 8-10 September 2026 to 28 January 2027. That is followed by knockout play-offs in February, the round of 16 in March, the quarter-finals in April, the semi-finals from 27 April to 5 May, and the final on Saturday 5 June 2027.
Champions League matches are played mainly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Premier League season ends 1 week before the 2026/27 Champions League final.
How Premier League clubs qualify for the Champions League
Premier League clubs do not enter the Champions League automatically just because they are in England’s top flight. They need to qualify.
The usual route is a top-four league finish. A fifth-placed team can also qualify when the league has the European Performance Spot, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26. Another route is winning the Champions League or the Europa League.
English clubs in the 2026/27 Champions League are Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool.
How the two competitions connect
The link between them is qualification, not ownership or structure. Premier League results can send clubs into the next season’s Champions League, but the competitions remain separate.
Clubs can compete in both during the same season. Arsenal reached the 2025/26 Champions League final and lost to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties after a 1-1 draw on 30 May 2026, which shows how a club’s domestic league campaign and European run sit side by side.
FAQ
Is the Champions League part of the Premier League?
No. The Premier League is run by the Premier League, while the Champions League is run by UEFA.
A Premier League club can take part in both, but that does not make them one competition. Entry to Europe comes through qualification.
Are the Premier League and Champions League the same thing?
No. One is England’s domestic top division, the other is a Europe-wide club competition.
They also award different titles. Winning the Premier League does not mean winning the Champions League, and the reverse is also true.
How do the Premier League and Champions League each work?
The Premier League is a full season league table, with each club playing home and away and the top points total taking the title. The Champions League starts with a league phase and then moves into knockout rounds.
That difference changes the feel of each competition: one is about season-long consistency, the other mixes league-phase results with knockout ties.
Why do some Premier League clubs play in the Champions League while others do not?
Because Champions League places are earned, not shared evenly across all Premier League clubs. League position is the main route.
Clubs can also qualify by winning the Champions League or Europa League. The list changes from season to season based on results.