Dorothy

On the final matchday of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League league phase, all 18 matches are being played simultaneously to determine which 24 teams will advance to the knockout stage. ESPN and CBS Sports confirm that results across the board will decide group standings, with several teams—such as Napoli—facing elimination if they fail to secure sufficient points. The league phase format, introduced in the 2024-25 season, replaces traditional group stages with a single table of 36 teams, making the final matchday particularly consequential for clubs on the cusp of qualification. While ESPN emphasizes the broader narrative of the matchday’s significance for all participating teams and provides live updates on every fixture, CBS Sports highlights the specific pressure on Napoli as Serie A champions, framing their match against Chelsea as a high-stakes survival test. This reflects a difference in emphasis: ESPN offers a comprehensive, league-wide perspective, whereas CBS zooms in on the emotional and reputational stakes for a high-profile club under threat of elimination. All sources agree, however, on the structural importance of Wednesday’s results in shaping the tournament’s next phase.