What's new in the women's UCL this season?

The major change in the women's Champions League this season is the arrival of the league format. The large league phase that the men have now been running for two seasons will now move in to the women's edition, with the 18 teams playing six games against six different teams. The top four teams advance to the quarterfinals, while the teams who finish between fifth and 12th will face off in a two-legged playoff for the right to make the quarterfinals. Teams ranked 13 to 18 will be eliminated.

Perhaps most significantly though, is the arrival of a new competition in the women's game this season – the Europa Cup. The competition offers a second chance to teams who lost in Champions League qualifying, but also opens up the game to an array of other women's teams.

The Europa Cup will be a straight knockout tournament, played at the same time as the Champions League. After two qualifying rounds, the tournament really gets rolling with the round of 16, the draw for which is on October 17. All of the games, including the final, will be played over two legs.

Other than the incentive of winning a trophy, there is also the chance to get a shortcut to the Champions League the following season. The winners of the Europa Cup will automatically have a spot in the third qualifying round for the Champions League – just one round away from the league phase.

Despite having one of the best domestic leagues and national sides, this season marks the first time there will be no Swedish team in the Champions League after all three of Hacken, Hammarby and Rosengard were knocked out in qualifying.

Do the German teams have a chance?

Wolfsburg always fancy their chances in Europe given their history, but this season they do not enter the competition as one of the favorites. Head coach Stephen Lerch returns after time at Hoffenheim for a second stint in charge, marking a significant change following four years under former coach Tommy Stroot.

Promising keeper Stina Johannes has joined from Frankfurt, as has defender Sophia Kleinherne, but a lot of the hopes land on the shoulders of rising star Cora Zicai. The former Freiburg attacker is just 20 but Wolfsburg are hoping she can be the new star this side needs in the face of a tough fixture list. Veterans Svenja Huth and Alexandra Popp (both 34) enter perhaps their last season.

After three straight Bundesliga titles, Bayern Munich are now the dominant force in women's football in Germany and they are keen to show they can be a similar force in Europe. Barcelona are the team to beat, but Bayern want the chance.

Giulia Gwinn has returned from a long-term injury that kept her out of most of Euro 2025, and this team is ready to make a run. With 20-year-old Momoko Tanikawa and 18-year-old Alara Sehitler both developing into strong midfielders and Klara Bühl and Lea Schüller cementing themselves as the present and the future of Germany's attack, Bayern have good reason to believe they can challenge. The ACL injury suffered by Sara Zadrazil recently won't have helped, but all eyes will be on whether this team can take the next step under new head coach Jose Barcala.

Who are the players to watch out for?

Beyond the likes of Aitana Bonmati, Alessia Russo and Melchie Dumornay, there are a number of emerging players in this season's competition to keep an eye out for.

Sarah Mattner will be hoping to make the most of her chance on the big stage as the 22-year-old striker aims to cause an upset with Austrian side St. Pölten. Mattner was born in Vienna but has played for Germany's youth teams and has a keen eye for goal.

The aforementioned Cora Zica will be another to keep an eye on, as will 21-year-old Paris FC right back Melween N'Dongala. Women's football's first £1million (€1.14 million, $1.34 million) signing Olivia Smith is another to watch. The 21-year-old Canadian, who moved from Liverpool to Arsenal in the summer, will be keen to prove the price was right and that she belongs on the biggest stage.

What are the key dates?

The league phase gets started on October 7, with Bayern Munich traveling to Barcelona and Wolfsburg hosting Paris Saint-Germain. There will be five games that follow, including Bayern hosting defending champions Arsenal (November 12) and Wolfsburg playing Manchester United (November 19), with the league stage wrapping up on December 17.

The playoffs will be in February (11-12 and 18-19) before the quarterfinals roll on in March (24-25) and early April (1-2). The semifinals will be played out in April (25-26) and early May (2-3) before the final in Oslo. The date has yet to be confirmed, but it will be on either May 22, 23 or 24.

Edited by: Chuck Penfold