Champions League Kickoff Times: A Complete Guide for Global Fans
Everything you need to know about when Champions League matches kick off — including times for US, UK, Australia, India and beyond.
The standard Champions League kick-off times
UEFA Champions League matches are played on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings during the league phase (September to December) and knockout rounds (February to May). The two standard kick-off times are 18:45 CET and 20:00 CET. Most flagship games — including any featuring Real Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona or Bayern Munich — are allocated the 20:00 CET slot. The 18:45 CET slot is used for the second batch of games on each match night.
Champions League kick-off times for UK fans
18:45 CET is 17:45 UK time (GMT) in winter. 20:00 CET is 19:00 UK time. In summer, both shift forward by one hour so the difference remains the same: the 20:00 CET slot becomes 19:00 UK BST. TNT Sports holds UK broadcast rights for the Champions League, with selected matches on Channel 4.
Champions League kick-off times for US fans
The 20:00 CET Tuesday/Wednesday slot is 14:00 ET / 11:00 PT in winter. The 18:45 CET slot is 12:45 ET / 09:45 PT. These afternoon/late morning times make Champions League an excellent US office-hours sporting event. Paramount+ holds US broadcast rights, with select matches on CBS and CBS Sports Network.
Champions League kick-off times for Australian fans
This is where it gets challenging for Aussie fans. A 20:00 CET Tuesday kick-off is 06:00 AEST the next morning (Wednesday). A 18:45 CET kick-off is 04:45 AEST. Australian fans typically record matches or watch replays, though dedicated fans alarm-set for the big knockout ties. Stan Sport holds Australian Champions League rights.
Champions League kick-off times for Indian fans
India sits on IST (UTC+5:30), making the 20:00 CET kick-off 00:30 IST — midnight, into the early hours. The 18:45 CET game is 23:15 IST. Champions League is enormously popular in India, and many fans watch through the night for big fixtures. Sony LIV and Sports18 hold Indian broadcast rights.
The Champions League final kick-off time
The Champions League final takes place in late May at a neutral venue. It traditionally kicks off at 21:00 CET — 20:00 UK, 15:00 ET, 12:00 PT, 05:00 AEST (next morning) and 01:30 IST (next morning). The final is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world.
Written by the MatchMate editorial team
MatchMate is an independent fan-built resource for global football kickoff times. Our guides are researched using official competition schedules, broadcaster listings and the IANA timezone database, and are reviewed whenever schedules change. More about us
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Frequently Asked Questions
What time is the Champions League in the UK?
The main Champions League slot (20:00 CET) is 19:00 UK time. The earlier slot (18:45 CET) is 17:45 UK time.
What time is the Champions League in the US?
20:00 CET is 14:00 ET / 11:00 PT. 18:45 CET is 12:45 ET / 09:45 PT.
What time is the Champions League in Australia?
20:00 CET (Tuesday/Wednesday) is 06:00 AEST on the following morning.
What time is the Champions League in India?
20:00 CET is 00:30 IST the following morning. 18:45 CET is 23:15 IST.
What time is the Champions League final?
The Champions League final typically kicks off at 21:00 CET — 20:00 UK, 15:00 ET, 12:00 PT.
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