Champions League Play-offs 2026: Draw, TV & Times

Watch the 2026/27 Champions League play-offs: UEFA has published all seven two-leg ties. The first legs are on August 18 or 19 and the returns are on August 25 or 26. This guide records the official home order and date for every tie, plus the current legal viewing routes in the United States and United Kingdom.

Last verified: August 4, 2026. Third qualifying-round winners, final kickoff times, and match-specific TV assignments remain pending where UEFA or the broadcaster has not yet confirmed them.

Quick answer: Paramount+ says it streams every Champions League match in the US. In the UK, TNT Sports is the main rights holder and HBO Max is now its streaming home. Prime Video has not announced a play-off selection, so do not assume a tie will be included. UEFA’s site and app provide official fixtures, scores, and updates, but not a universal free live-match video stream.

Official 2026/27 Champions League play-off draw

The slash-separated names below are deliberate. UEFA held the play-off draw before the third qualifying round finished, so those entries identify the two clubs that can still advance into that play-off place. They are not predictions.

UEFA’s qualifying hub currently shows scheduling detail, but it also says dates and times are to be confirmed after the third qualifying round. For that reason, this guide treats the official leg dates above as verified while leaving kickoff times pending. Recheck the UEFA qualifying fixture page before matchday.

How to watch in the United States

Paramount+’s official Champions League page says subscribers can stream every match live. Its current plan page lists Champions League access with the Essential plan at $8.99 per month. Premium is $13.99 per month and adds features such as local CBS live access, downloads, and selected 4K titles.

A specific play-off may later receive a CBS, CBS Sports Network, Golazo Network, or Spanish-language assignment, but none should be promised until an official event listing names it. Open the match tile inside Paramount+ on matchday to verify the live feed and any replay.

• Lowest current direct plan listed: Paramount+ Essential, $8.99/month.
• Live coverage: Paramount+ says every Champions League match is available.
• Replay: the service carries match replays, but availability for an individual 2026/27 play-off should be checked on that event tile.
• Free option: no complete free live stream for all seven ties is confirmed.

How to watch in the United Kingdom

TNT Sports remains the main UK rights holder for the 2026/27 Champions League. Since March 26, 2026, HBO Max has been the UK streaming home of TNT Sports; discovery+ no longer sells the TNT Sports plan directly.

HBO Max currently lists the standalone TNT Sports plan at £30.99 per month, or £25.99 per month for 12 monthly payments under its Saver commitment. Sports viewing is limited to two devices at once, live sport is available up to Full HD 1080p, and selected-event replays may be available. BT/EE, O2, Prime Video Channels, Sky, and Virgin Media are also listed provider routes.

Amazon’s current UK terms describe a top Tuesday Champions League selection for Prime members, but Amazon has not identified a 2026/27 qualifying play-off tie. Therefore, this guide makes no Prime Video play-off promise. BBC’s agreement covers highlights and selected commentary rather than complete live coverage; check the published BBC schedule before relying on a particular programme.

• Main streaming route: TNT Sports through HBO Max.
• Standalone price: £30.99/month, or £25.99/month across a 12-month Saver commitment.
• Prime Video: no play-off match has been officially selected at the time of verification.
• BBC: highlights and selected radio commentary, subject to the current schedule.

Free official ways to follow the ties

UEFA’s website and official app provide fixtures, scores, line-ups, reports, and competition updates. BBC Sport may provide live text and selected radio commentary in the UK. These are useful no-cost follow options, but they are not a promise of free live-match video.

Avoid copied streams, anonymous IPTV sellers, and pages that ask you to install unknown software or enter payment details for an unofficial “free” feed. Start2Watch does not provide or endorse unauthorized streams.

How the Champions League play-offs work

• Each tie is played over two legs, one at each club’s home venue.
• The seven aggregate winners enter the 36-team Champions League league phase.
• All seven losing play-off teams move into the Europa League league phase.
• If the aggregate score is level after the second leg, extra time and then penalties decide the winner.
• The away-goals rule is not used.

Matchday checklist

1. Confirm which club advanced from every slash-separated third-round pairing after August 11.
2. Check UEFA’s fixture page for the final kickoff time and venue.
3. Open the official broadcaster’s event tile, not a third-party schedule, to confirm the channel or stream.
4. Sign in and test the app on the device you will use before kickoff.
5. If you want to watch later, confirm that the individual event page shows a replay; do not infer a replay window from another match.

Devices, travel, and territorial access

Paramount+ and HBO Max support major browsers, phones, tablets, smart TVs, and connected-TV devices, but app availability varies by model and country. Update the app, restart the device, and test another supported browser or device if the event tile will not load.

Sports rights are territorial. A subscription bought in one country may not include the same competition while travelling. A VPN does not create viewing rights or override a service’s terms. Use the authorized broadcaster for the country where you are physically located.

Frequently asked questions

When are the first legs?

UEFA schedules three first legs for Tuesday, August 18 and four for Wednesday, August 19, 2026. The table above shows the date for each tie.

When are the second legs?

Three returns are on Tuesday, August 25 and four are on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. The second-leg home club is the team listed second in each official tie.

Why are some club names separated by a slash?

The third qualifying round is unfinished. The slash preserves UEFA’s official placeholder until that two-leg qualifier has a winner.

Will Prime Video show a UK play-off tie?

Not confirmed. Amazon’s published Tuesday-pick terms do not identify a 2026/27 qualifying play-off match.

Can I watch every play-off free?

No universal free live video service is confirmed. UEFA offers official scores and updates, while live video requires the authorized broadcaster in the viewer’s territory.

Sources and update policy

• UEFA qualifying fixtures, draw ties, and leg dates
• UEFA 2026/27 season guide
• Paramount+ Champions League coverage
• Paramount+ current US plans
• HBO Max/TNT Sports UK access and pricing
• Amazon UK live-football terms
• BBC Champions League highlights agreement

This page will be checked again after the third qualifying round concludes on August 11 and when UEFA or the broadcasters publish final kickoff times and match assignments. Pending fields will be replaced only from current primary sources.