Chelsea drawn against Real Sociedad in UWCL third-qualifying round
Chelsea will meet Spanish side Real Sociedad in the UEFA Women's Champions League third-qualifying round, with the first leg set for 26 August in England.
At UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, the third-qualifying round draw for this season's UEFA Women's Champions League was conducted. Chelsea entered as one of five seeded clubs in the League Path and was paired with Real Sociedad, a Spanish Liga F team. The knockout tie will be played over two legs, with the first match slated for 26 August 2026 in England and the second leg provisionally on 2 September 2026 in Spain.
Kick-off times will be confirmed within the next 36 hours. Victors of the third-qualifying round will move on to the 18-team League Phase, while Manchester City and Arsenal have already secured direct entry to that stage. UEFA will hold the League Phase draw on 27 August 2026.
Why it matters
The matchup determines which club progresses to the main stage of Europe's top women's club competition.
In this story