Who will win the Champions League 2025/26 – predictions and UCL winner odds

The UEFA Champions League is ready to present us with another season full of drama, brilliant goals, and unforgettable moments. Last season, Paris Saint-Germain finally managed to win their first title, but will they defend it? Or, if not, which club is going to dethrone them and become the next king of Europe?

In this article, MightyTips' experts will look at the Champions League winner betting odds, name the top favourites of the tournament, and analyse their squads and keys to success. All this should help you in correctly picking the future champions of the competition and make a valuable long-term bet.

The bookmakers can't split it between Liverpool and Barcelona, as their UCL winner odds are dead-even at 7.00. The defending champions of England and Spain look mighty, yet while Barca were knocked out in the semis last season, Liverpool lost to eventual champions PSG in the round of 16. The French champions are only third in the list, at 7.50, slightly ahead of Arsenal and Real Madrid.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Liverpool

Liverpool enter the Champions League with renewed confidence under Arne Slot. Their squad is deep and balanced, though Federico Chiesa's absence from the European list was a surprise. Virgil van Dijk remains a defensive leader, while Ibrahima Konaté and Miloš Kerkez provide athleticism and creativity from the back. Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister will play key roles in the middle of the pitch, and the attack looks lethal with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, and Hugo Ekitiké.

Rate Liverpool FC's summer window out of ten 👀🧐🔴 pic.twitter.com/tFhRd0kKQv

— OneFootball (@OneFootball) September 1, 2025

The summer transfer window was amazing for the Reds, and if the newcomers fit in quickly, Arne Slot's team will justify the status of the top favourite. We must mention the Diogo Jota tragedy too, as this will be an extra motivation for all of his former partners.

🇪🇸 Barcelona

Barcelona's squad blends youthful brilliance with proven veterans. Robert Lewandowski continues as the focal point in attack, supported by Lamine Yamal, Marcus Rashford, and Raphinha, the joint best goalscorer of the last Champions League. In midfield, Pedri, Gavi, and Frenkie de Jong provide creativity and control, while the backline features Ronald Araújo, Jules Koundé, and Andreas Christensen. Barca's only real signing in the summer was goalkeeper Joan García, who'll be number one for Blaugrana for years to come. 

Coach Hansi Flick has emphasized quick transitions and intensity, and Barcelona's form at the beginning of the season suggests the team is adapting well. Their biggest challenge will be defensive solidity, but the genius of Yamal, arguably the best player nowadays, might compensate for this.

🇫🇷 Paris Saint-Germain

The defending champions will try to retain the trophy, which is an uphill task, considering that only Real Madrid managed to do it in the Champions League era (2016-2018). The French champions have a significant advantage over the field, though, as they simply have no resistance at the domestic stage. This will allow them to rest key players ahead of UCL matches and remain fresh throughout the season. 

PSG have signed goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier from Lille, which resulted in Gianluigi Donnarumma's departure. If he won't crumble in the debut season, Luis Enrique's team has everything for success - solid defence with quick full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, creative midfield, and excellent attack featuring the future Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, Gonçalo Ramos, and Désiré Doué.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Arsenal

Arsenal begin their third consecutive Champions League campaign under Mikel Arteta with growing expectations. Their squad is young, hungry, and increasingly experienced. One thing to highlight here is that the Gunners are not donors anymore, and they buy rather than sell in midseason. Viktor Gyökeres, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke all came to the capital club in the summer, strengthening their attack significantly. Another newcomer, Martín Zubimendi, will definitely add control in midfield.

Arteta's side is tactically flexible, able to dominate possession or press high, depending on the opponent. After reaching the semifinals last season, Arsenal have a goal of going at least one step further, and they can surely do that if the squad avoids major injuries. Arteta has worked with the club for almost six years now, and everyone sees the consistent progress.

I’ll keep saying it, #Arsenal have signed a winger on the cusp of an explosion. Noni Madueke’s underlying metrics are up there with the best, and he’s reaching the point of maturity where they all come together. You can’t coach this kind of running power.pic.twitter.com/mmJWrGdCJK

— Adam Keys (@adamkeys_) September 9, 2025

🇪🇸 Real Madrid

The most celebrated club in the history of the tournament finished last season without a single trophy. Besides, Carlo Ancelotti left for the Brazil national team and was replaced by Xabi Alonso. The former Los Blancos player did great as Bayer Leverkusen coach, but he won't have any spare time or room for error at his new job. 

Real strengthened its defence by signing Álvaro Fernández Carreras, Dean Huijsen, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, while the 18-year-old Franco Martín Mastantuono added spice to the offence. As always, Real have a squad full of stars with a great bench to add to it. It's hard to go against Los Merengues and their pedigree, but a lot will depend on Kylian Mbappe, who has played below his own highest standards in 2024/25.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Manchester City

The Sky Blues are another big club finishing last season without a single trophy. Pep Guardiola has been working with the team for almost a decade now, and while there are no talks about his dismissal yet, the start of the new season was very shaky. Once again, there were many big signings in midseason, and it seems that Man City know some secrets of avoiding the financial fair-play rules. 

James Trafford started the season as the number one keeper, but now he'll have to compete with Gianluigi Donnarumma, and two equally good goalkeepers in the team is never a good thing. Guardiola's positional play system is well-known, and while there's plenty of squad depth, the early signs are not positive. Yet having the prolific Erling Haaland in the team is a huge advantage that might cover any problematic aspects.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Chelsea

Fresh from winning the first expanded edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, Chelsea will now try to prevail at domestic and European stages. The Blues have one of the youngest squads in the tournament, but also one of the most exciting. The summer transfer window was hectic, as the capital club changed almost half of the squad.

Enzo Maresca has little time for rebuilding, but Chelsea had a decent start in the Premier League, collecting seven points in the first three games and allowing just one goal. Maresca is implementing a possession-based style, encouraging structured build-up with quick transitions. Recently signed João Pedro will lead the attack along with Pedro Neto, but the overall lack of experience could be an issue. However, raw talent means Chelsea can and will bring surprises. A quarterfinal appearance should be considered a major success this season.

CHELSEA ARE THE NEW CLUB WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS 🏆

GLOBAL HOME OF FOOTBALL | Live All Summer Long | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #CHEPSG pic.twitter.com/NSYmBHX5hE

— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) July 13, 2025

🇩🇪 Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich start their Champions League campaign reinvigorated under Vincent Kompany. Their biggest summer signing was Luis Díaz, who already started scoring for the new club in the Bundesliga. Harry Kane remains the central figure in attack, though, and he is supported by Michael Olise and Jamal Musiala, one of Europe's brightest stars. Manuel Neuer's experience in goal provides leadership in decisive moments, while the defence and midfield look solid too. 

Just like PSG, Bayern shouldn't have too many problems in securing the national title, so they can easily focus on the UCL without sacrificing too much. Bookmakers rate Die Roten just below the top tier, but they are always among contenders, and their pedigree proves that. If Díaz adapts quickly and helps Kane maintain his scoring touch, Bayern can go very deep.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham return to the Champions League under Thomas Frank, who signed a contract until 2028 this June, but they face serious challenges right away. Due to UEFA squad rules, Mathys Tel, one of their marquee summer signings, was left out of the European list, which limits attacking depth. Still, Spurs boast key leaders: Richarlison offers physicality up front, and recently signed Mohammed Kudus drives creativity from midfield. João Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur provide control in midfield, while Cristian Romero marshals the defence. New arrivals offer depth, though losing Tel in Europe is a blow. Frank opts for compact defending and fast counterattacks, aiming to frustrate stronger opponents. Spurs will try to qualify from the League Stage and build confidence in the knockout rounds.

🇮🇹 Inter Milan

Inter, finalists last season, have parted ways with coach Simone Inzaghi, which is their biggest problem. Inzaghi was replaced by former Nerazzurri player Christian Chivu, who has less than a year of coaching experience. Inter have an excellent keeper in Yann Sommer, and the defence looks solid as ever with the likes of Alessandro Bastoni, Benjamin Pavard, and Francesco Acerbi. In midfield, Nicolò Barella, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, and the newcomer Petar Sučić combine creativity with energy, anchoring the team's tempo. Lautaro Martínez leads as captain and talisman, partnered by fast and powerful Marcus Thuram.

🥈 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬 - UEFA Europa League
🥈 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 - UEFA Champions League
🥈 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 - UEFA Champions League

Internazionale. pic.twitter.com/psECZVl00E

— Noite de Copa (@Noitedecopa) May 31, 2025

Inter's strength lies in their ability to show compact and counter-attacking football against stronger opponents, yet they can dominate against weaker sides. They have lost three European finals in the last six years, so this vastly experienced squad might go deep again this season.

There are plenty of long-term betting markets ahead of the new campaign, one of which is who will finish in the top 8 in the League Stage to qualify straight to the round of 16. Last season, the first five places were taken by the big clubs, however, they were followed by Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, and Aston Villa. The full match schedule is already known for each team, so make sure to study it before placing any bets.