Europe’s most prestigious club competition is back as the UEFA Champions League launches Matchday 1 with an action-packed three-day opening week starting Tuesday, Sept. 16. Commencing the 2025–26 season under its expanded format, the tournament brings relentless high-stakes football to fans worldwide. All UEFA Champions League matches during the league phase will stream live on Paramount+, with select matches during the opening week and throughout the phase airing on CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network. Football enthusiasts can look forward to comprehensive matchday schedules packed with news, notes, betting breakdowns, pre-game previews and post-match reactions.
Leading the flagship coverage is the acclaimed UEFA Champions League Today studio team, hosted by Kate Scott alongside legendary pundits Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards. For the opening matchday, both the pre-match and post-match studio shows will also stream live for free on CBS Sports Golazo Network. The team delivers expert punditry, deep tactical breakdowns and engaging studio analysis as Europe’s elite clubs take to the pitch for the third day of Matchday 1 and beyond.
Adding to the live experience, Nico Cantor returns alongside Nigel Reo-Coker to anchor The Golazo Show. This whip-around program offers seamless coverage by showcasing every single goal from every match as it happens throughout the league phase, ensuring viewers do not miss a moment of the action. Changes are also taking place in the commentary booth, where former international goalkeeper Tony Meola steps in as a match analyst, replacing retired legendary announcer Ray Hudson to bring fresh tactical insights to live match broadcasts.
Matchday broadcasting extends into an all-day event on CBS Sports Golazo Network, kicking off at 8:00 AM ET with Morning Footy to preview all the upcoming European fixtures. Alongside the live streaming and television broadcasts, extensive written and digital coverage will be featured on CBSSports.com, the Golazo Starting XI newsletter and official social accounts. The expansive production and operational strategy is guided by David Berson, President and CEO of CBS Sports, alongside Harold Bryant, Executive Producer and Executive Vice President of Production, and Pete Radovich, Coordinating Producer for UEFA Champions League coverage.
With full studio programming, live match analysts and multi-platform streaming across Paramount+ and linear networks, the coverage setup is built to capture every dramatic twist of the European campaign. From early morning previews to full post-match breakdowns, fans are set for complete access to the UEFA Champions League as the battle for European football glory begins in earnest.
