Why Champions League Matches Are Played on Thursdays During Opening Week
Champions League Matches on Thursdays: What's Behind It?
Seeing Champions League games on a Thursday night might surprise fans used to tradition. For years, Thursday nights were reserved for Europa League and Conference League games, often the subject of jokes online. But starting with the 2024-25 season and continuing now, Europe's top clubs take over that slot just for one week.
This change comes from UEFA's new league-phase format and the expansion to 36 teams. The first matchweek uses Thursday nights to manage scheduling challenges brought by this new setup.
The Shift to 36 Teams and Its Impact
The main reason for this scheduling shift is the increase in participating teams, going from 32 to 36. All teams compete in a single league phase, playing eight matches each against different opponents—four at home and four away. Instead of groups, there's one overall table.
After these eight rounds, the top eight qualify directly for the last 16. Those ranked ninth to 24th enter playoffs to fill the remaining spots, while the rest are knocked out.
With so many fixtures happening simultaneously on the opening day, UEFA had to rethink the schedule. Unlike the previous system with staggered group matches, they spread the opening across three nights, including Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, to fit all games comfortably.
How Exclusive Weeks Work Across UEFA Competitions
Each UEFA club competition enjoys one exclusive matchweek without overlapping fixtures from the others. For the Champions League, this exclusive period is the first matchday, during which it occupies all three nights.
Normally, Champions League games happen on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, leaving Thursdays to the Europa and Conference Leagues. But during this first week, the Europa and Conference Leagues pause, letting the Champions League use Tuesday through Thursday.
Following this, the schedule returns to normal: Champions League on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the other tournaments reclaim Thursdays.
The Europa League’s exclusive week arrives the following week, running Wednesday and Thursday, before settling into a Thursday-only pattern for its league phase. The Conference League plays exclusively on Thursdays throughout, with the final round given a special standalone Thursday slot.
The 2026-27 Champions League Opening Fixtures
The current season kicks off on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, with action continuing through Thursday, September 10. Key matches include:
- Real Madrid vs Inter Milan - Tuesday
- Barcelona vs Feyenoord - Wednesday
- Manchester United vs Sabah - Thursday
Additional opening games on Thursday feature:
- Fenerbahce vs Roma - 5:45 pm
- PSV Eindhoven vs Shakhtar Donetsk - 5:45 pm
- Como vs RB Leipzig - 8 pm
- Bayern Munich vs Bodo/Glimt - 8 pm
- Slavia Praha vs Lens - 8 pm
Starting from matchday two on October 13 and 14, the Champions League returns to the usual Tuesday-Wednesday schedule, and Thursdays go back to the Europa League until next year's opening week requires the same three-night arrangement again.
