The dawn of the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League is nearly upon us as the league phase is set to begin in early September, just a few weeks before the next international break.

Ahead of the draw for the group phases taking place to determine what teams will play one another before the knockout stages, Adidas has officially released and unveiled the new match balls for this season's Champions League for both the men's and women's competition.

While following the same design and pattern, the color schemes for the men's and women's match balls are slightly different.

The men's ball features shades of blue, purple, green, yellow and pink within the competition's iconic star design, while the women's version predominantly uses light purple, dark purple and yellow against a white base.

The Inspiration Behind the New Champions League Ball Designs

According to UEFA, the artwork is inspired by the belief that champions are made when no one is watching, with both designs celebrating the work and ambition behind success.

Drawing inspiration from the image of players training through cold, misty mornings, the design transforms drifting fog across a football pitch into a visual expression of dedication, ambition and achievement.

Specifically, for the men's ball, the adidas and Champions League logos appear in bold pink, adding a further accent to the design.

The design reflects the journey from unseen preparation to competing on the biggest stage in European club football.

For the women's ball, Adidas has drawn inspiration from the continued rise of the women's game. The design brings the competition's "Ring of Light" to life through a ring of 11 stars, representing the players on the pitch and symbolising unity and collective ambition.

When and Where to Buy the New Champions League Match Balls

As of August 26, the official men's and women's Champions League match balls are available to purchase through Adidas stores, selected retail partners and Adidas' official website.

With the official league-phase balls now unveiled, Adidas and UEFA are also expected to release a separate match ball for next year's Champions League final in Madrid.

Champions League final match balls have often featured a different colour scheme from the standard competition ball, with bolder designs used to distinguish the final from the rest of the tournament.

Last year in Budapest, the ball was predominantly a darkish purple with different colors lightly used throughout the ball, but all of the stars were white.