Dortmund join eight already in 2026-27 Champions League league phase, 20 set for qualifying | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund thrashed Freiburg 4-0 on Sunday to clinch a berth in the 2026-27 Champions League league phase, joining eight clubs already through, with 20 others assured of entering qualifying.

L'Équipe reports that, ahead of the 2025-26 semi-finals beginning on Tuesday with PSG against Bayern at 21:00, nine of 36 clubs have booked places in next season's league phase. PSG, 3-0 winners over Angers on Saturday, are the first French side confirmed.

In Germany, Dortmund joined champions Bayern Munich among the qualifiers. In England, Arsenal and Manchester City remain locked in a title race yet are already guaranteed spots in the next Champions League.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are in from Spain, and Inter Milan qualified in Serie A after beating Cagliari 3-0 on 17 April. PSV Eindhoven, champions of the Netherlands for the third year running, are also through. Slavia Prague, certain to finish in the Czech top two, are well placed to secure a league phase berth.

Clubs from smaller leagues must navigate qualifying, split into two paths, the Champions Path over four rounds and the League Path over three.

Fifteen of 30 sides are known for the Champions Path first round, Shamrock Rovers, Larne, The New Saints, Zalgiris Vilnius, Flora Tallinn, Riga FC, NK Celje, Víkingur Reykjavik, Kuopion Palloseura, Tre Fiori, FC Iberia 1999, FK Vitebsk and Lincoln Red Imps, with KÍ Klaksvík and Kairat Almaty completing the list.

Three clubs are set for the following round, Mjällby AIF, Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade. Viking FK are the first of four to reach the final play-off round. Bodø/Glimt, who reached the last 16 this season, will enter the League Path in the second qualifying round after finishing second in Norway in 2025.

Source: L'Équipe