Champions League Predictions 25-26

Source: BBC

by Leo Najarro and Omer Turgett '26

The 2025-26 Champions League is the biggest tournament in football, and it is very hard to win. This year, 36 teams are competing in a new league format. Traditionally, the best teams from the top leagues in Europe qualify for this competition.
Some clubs have a long history of winning. Real Madrid has the most titles with 15. Other top winners include AC Milan (7), Liverpool (6) and Bayern Munich (6). However, the current defending champions are Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), who won their first title in 2025.
This season has been full of surprises. Big teams like Manchester City and Real Madrid have lost games to smaller teams like Bodø/Glimt and Benfica. Because of these shocks, many fans believe Arsenal is the favorite to win this year. The final will be played on May 30, 2026, at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary. This stadium holds 67,100 people. It hosted the Europa League final in 2023, but this is the first time it will host the massive Champions League final.
While most teams have a chance to win, the standings show Arsenal is the favored team. Arsenal currently leads the pack with a 26 percent chance of lifting the trophy. The final will be hosted at Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30, 2026. This stadium hosted the Europa League final in 2023. This marks the second time Hungary has hosted a major soccer tournament and the first time for this 67,100-capacity stadium.
According to projections from AS, Arsenal is the clear favorite with a 21.5 percent chance of winning. They are followed by Bayern Munich at 14.4 percent and Barcelona at 13.7 percent. Manchester City (10 percent), Liverpool (8 percent), Chelsea (5.4 percent) and Tottenham Hotspur (0.7 percent) all remain alive.
The new 36-team format has invited chaos. We have moved past the era where the "big" teams were guaranteed safe passage. This season has already delivered results that have left fans and bettors in disbelief. Manchester City, despite their pedigree, suffered a stunning 3-1 defeat to Bodø/Glimt.
"I think Man City might win again," said Mr. Carr, a Chelsea fan from Wethersfield High School. "Just because they’re not winning the Premier League, they still have a chip on their shoulder."
Benfica also won against Real Madrid 4-2, which is something we do not see every day. The Benfica goalkeeper even scored a goal in the last minute. The most shocking development of the current campaign is the list of teams that failed to make the top 24. Teams known as "big" clubs, like Napoli, Ajax, PSV and Athletic Club, did not make the cut. Meanwhile, teams like Galatasaray, Benfica, Tottenham, Qarabag FK and Bodø/Glimt have moved on.
This year has been full of surprises. Smaller teams are beating giants, and even goalkeepers are scoring. At the Puskás Aréna, anything can happen.

---