The final matchday 8 of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League league phase is set to deliver maximum drama, with some of Europe’s biggest clubs fighting for crucial top-eight positions. Liverpool, Barcelona, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City all enter Wednesday with their direct qualification to the round of 16 still on the line, raising the stakes across the continent.
Several of these sides arrive under pressure after uneven performances, highlighted by Manchester City’s shocking 3-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt last week. With every match kicking off simultaneously at 3 p.m. ET, every goal across the grounds could shift the standings dramatically and determine who advances comfortably and who faces an early knockout test.
Only the top eight teams will earn automatic passage to the round of 16, while clubs finishing ninth through 24th must battle through a playoff round in February. Teams placed 25th to 36th will be eliminated outright, and as in previous seasons, no sides will drop into the Europa League, making Wednesday a decisive moment in the Champions League campaign.
