The 2025–26 UEFA Champions League marked the 71st season of Europe's premier club competition, with the final held on 30 May 2026 at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain successfully retained their title, defeating Arsenal 4–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw, becoming only the second club to win back-to-back titles in the Champions League era, matching Real Madrid's 2016–17 achievement. As a result, PSG secured automatic spots in the 2026–27 Champions League, the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup, the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup, and a 2026 UEFA Super Cup clash against Europa League winners Aston Villa. This season was historic for featuring six clubs from England for the first time, thanks to an extra coefficient-based spot and Tottenham Hotspur's Europa League victory. A total of 82 teams from 53 of UEFA's 55 associations competed (excluding suspended Russia and non-league Liechtenstein), with allocation based on association coefficients. Due to PSG's domestic qualification and Russia's suspension, adjustments were made, including promoting Olympiacos directly to the league phase and moving Slovan Bratislava and Qarabağ up in the qualifying rounds.