Champions League Season Begins During World Cup

6 Jul 2026

The 2026-27 Champions League season begins while the World Cup is still taking place, creating an unusual overlap in the football calendar. Early qualifying brings lesser-known clubs into focus at a time when most attention remains fixed on the global tournament. For those clubs, the timing is both strange and important. European qualification can transform finances, prestige and future planning, even if their first steps come while the football world is watching events elsewhere.