UEFA Sets September 2 Deadline for 2026/27 Champions League Squad Registration

UEFA has fixed September 2, 2026, as the deadline for clubs to submit their squads for the 2026/27 Champions League league phase, with teams limited to 25 players on List A.

The deadline is 11:59 p.m. CET on Wednesday, September 2, after which submitted squads must be verified and validated by the relevant national associations. Clubs must also meet UEFA’s requirements for squad size and locally trained players.

Under the regulations, each club can register a maximum of 25 players on List A, including at least two goalkeepers. Eight of those places are reserved for locally trained players, although no more than four can be association-trained players.

Clubs that do not have eight locally trained players will see their maximum List A squad size reduced accordingly. UEFA defines locally trained players as those who have spent at least three full seasons or 36 months with a club or clubs linked to the same national association between the ages of 15 and 21.

Teams will also be able to use List B, which has no fixed player limit and can be updated during the season, provided players meet UEFA’s eligibility requirements. The list must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. CET on the day before the relevant match.

UEFA rules also allow a player who featured for another club during the qualifying rounds or play-offs of the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League to represent a different club from the league phase.

Clubs reaching the knockout phase will have an opportunity to make further changes, with up to three new players permitted to be registered by February 4, 2027. The 25-player List A limit and the requirement for eight locally trained players will still apply.

The rules also provide limited provisions for replacing players suffering long-term injuries or illness. The 2026/27 Champions League league phase is scheduled to begin on September 8, while the final will be played at Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium on June 5, 2027.