What Time Do Champions League Games Kick Off?
18:45 and 21:00 CET: the two Champions League kick-off slots, the nights they fall on, and what they mean in your time zone.
By MatchCountdown Editorial · Updated October 2026
The short answer: 18:45 and 21:00 CET
Every Champions League game starts at one of two times: 18:45 or 21:00 Central European Time. On a normal matchday night, two matches take the early slot and all the others start at 21:00. That held on every two-night matchday of the 2026/27 league phase so far: on 13–14 October, 20–21 October and 3–4 November, each night had two games at 18:45 and seven at 21:00.
Which nights the games are played
League-phase matchdays run on Tuesday and Wednesday, with two exceptions. Matchday 1 (8–10 September 2026) was spread over three nights, Tuesday to Thursday, and each night had two games at 18:45 and four at 21:00. Matchday 8 (27 January 2027) puts all 18 games on one Wednesday night, all at 21:00 CET. Every team plays at the same time so that nobody knows another result before their own game ends.
The knockout rounds also go back to Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and most ties are played in the 21:00 slot. The final is on Saturday 5 June 2027 at the Metropolitano in Madrid. UEFA confirms its kick-off time closer to the date.
The Europa League and Conference League: Thursdays
The Europa League and the Conference League play on Thursdays, in the same two slots. Between late September and mid-December 2026, our fixtures show the Europa League almost evenly split between 18:45 (24 games) and 21:00 (29 games), and the Conference League the same way (28 and 25). Two games in that period were scheduled at 16:30, so check the individual fixture rather than assuming the usual slot.
Champions League kick-off times in your time zone
From late October to late March, Central European Time is UTC+1. In September, October, April and May it is UTC+2.
United Kingdom and Ireland: 17:45 and 20:00 all year. Türkiye: 20:45 and 23:00 in winter, 19:45 and 22:00 in September, October and spring. US Eastern: 12:45 and 15:00 ET; US Pacific: 09:45 and 12:00 PT. Gulf (UTC+4): 21:45 and 00:00 in winter. India: 23:15 and 01:30 the next morning in winter.
In the weeks when Europe and the US change their clocks on different dates, US kick-offs move one hour later: 13:45 and 16:00 ET. In spring 2027 that window runs from 14 to 28 March.
How long a Champions League night lasts
A league-phase game takes about two hours, so the 21:00 games finish around 22:55. In the two-legged knockout rounds, a tie level on aggregate after the second leg goes to 30 minutes of extra time and then penalties, which can push the final whistle past 23:45 CET.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Champions League games start?
At 18:45 or 21:00 CET. On most matchday nights, two games start at 18:45 and the rest at 21:00.
How many Champions League games start at 18:45?
Normally two per matchday night. The other games that night start at 21:00 CET.
What time is a 21:00 CET Champions League game in the US?
15:00 Eastern and 12:00 Pacific, or an hour later in the short spring and autumn windows when the clocks change on different dates.
Are all the games at the same time on the last matchday?
Yes. On Matchday 8 (27 January 2027) all 18 games start at 21:00 CET.
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