The 2025–26 UEFA Women’s Champions League enters a transformative new era this month as the competition prepares to launch its third and final qualifying round — the last gateway into the brand-new 18-team league phase.
Nine two-legged ties will be played on September 11 and 18, determining which clubs will join the nine automatic entrants in UEFA’s reimagined premier competition. It’s a high-stakes juncture: win, and enter the most expansive stage in women’s European football history. Lose, and transition into the inaugural UEFA Women’s Europa Cup.
The New Format: What’s Changed
This season introduces a complete overhaul of the UWCL structure, replacing the traditional four-group setup with an 18-team league format modeled after the men’s new “Swiss system.”
Each of the 18 teams will play six matches (three at home, three away), facing six different opponents based on seedings.
- The top four teams after six rounds will advance directly to the quarter-finals.
- Teams ranked 5th through 12th will contest a playoff round to reach the last eight.
- The bottom six will be eliminated at the end of the league phase.
The reformatting is designed to improve competitive balance, enhance broadcast value, and ensure more meaningful fixtures between Europe’s best clubs.
This is the biggest leap the women’s game has taken in Europe since the UWCL began
Nadine Kessler, UEFA Managing Director of Women’s Football
Who’s Already Qualified?
Nine clubs are already qualified for the league phase:
| Club | Qualification Method |
|---|---|
| Arsenal | Defending UWCL champions |
| Barcelona | Liga F champions |
| Chelsea | WSL Champions |
| Lyon | Arkema Premiere Ligue Champions |
| PSG | France runners-up |
| Bayern Munich | Bundesliga champions |
| Wolfsburg | Bundesliga runners-up |
| Benfica | Portuguese champions |
| Juventus | Serie A champions |
These nine teams await the winners of the third qualifying round to complete the league phase lineup.
Who’s Playing in Qualifying Round 3?
The third qualifying round features 18 clubs drawn into nine ties, separated into two distinct paths:
League Path
Runners-up and high-ranking non-champions from Europe’s top leagues.
Confirmed matchups include:
- Roma (Italy) vs Paris FC (France)
- BK Häcken (Sweden) vs Brøndby IF (Denmark)
- Ajax (Netherlands) vs AC Sparta Praha (Czech Republic)
These matchups feature elite-level competition between clubs that narrowly missed automatic qualification and have strong UWCL ambitions.
Champions Path
Domestic champions from nations ranked outside UEFA’s top tier.
Key ties include:
- SKN St. Pölten (Austria) vs Vålerenga (Norway)
- Slavia Praha (Czech Republic) vs FC Zürich (Switzerland)
- FC Twente (Netherlands) vs Glentoran (Northern Ireland)
For many of these clubs, it’s a golden opportunity to break into the new elite and secure top-level continental football through December.
What Happens to the Losers?
UEFA has introduced a second-tier competition for the first time: the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup.
Clubs eliminated in the third qualifying round of the UWCL will drop into the second qualifying round of the Europa Cup, giving them a second chance at European competition and helping deepen the competitive ecosystem for women’s football across the continent.
It marks a fundamental shift in structure, providing a clearer hierarchy and more playing opportunities beyond one-shot knockout exits.
Why It Matters
This is more than a qualifying round — it’s the gateway to a new era in European women’s football. The revamped league format means more matches, more visibility, and more chances for breakout performances.
The inclusion of a Europa Cup safety net also means that failure to reach the UWCL league phase isn’t the end of the road, but the start of a new continental journey for ambitious clubs.
What to Watch
- Can Roma or Paris FC seize their moment after impressive domestic seasons?
- Will St. Pölten, Twente, or Slavia Praha break through to the elite level?
- How will teams adapt to the pressure of qualifying with the new league format looming?
The third qualifying round is where dynasties are challenged and newcomers are born — and with the highest stakes women’s European football has ever seen.