Longest distance travelled in European football

As the 2025/26 Champions League league phase draws to a close, we’ve taken a closer look at one of the standout records broken this season: the sheer distance travelled by teams. With the new league format introduced in 2024/25 adding two extra fixtures to the opening stage of the competition, it was only a matter of time before travel records began to tumble and this season has delivered exactly that. Below, we rank the top five clubs that covered the greatest distances during this year’s league phase, highlighting just how demanding the modern Champions League has become.

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Champions league longest journeys 

In the 2025/26 season, Kairat Almaty etched their name into the Champions League record books. Competing in the league phase of Europe’s premier competition for the first time, the Kazakh side faced one of the most demanding travel schedules the tournament has ever seen. Across their four away fixtures, Kairat travelled an astonishing 22,388 kilometres, a total that eclipses any distance previously recorded during the opening stage of the competition.

Their most demanding trip came against Sporting CP, requiring a journey of approximately 6,904 kilometres from Almaty to Lisbon, the longest single away trip of the league phase by a considerable margin. Kairat returned from Portugal empty-handed, and the scale of the challenge underlined the gulf faced by teams operating on the geographical edges of UEFA competition. For context, Atalanta, who recorded the shortest overall travel distance in the league phase, covered just 2,279 kilometres across all four away matches, less than a third of Kairat’s Lisbon journey alone.

Most miles covered in champions league 

No side in the 2025/26 Champions League league phase has faced a tougher logistical challenge than Kairat Almaty. The Kazakh champions were tasked with an extraordinary travel schedule, clocking up 22,388 kilometres across their four away fixtures, comfortably the highest total recorded by any club at this stage of the competition. The physical and mental toll of those journeys was reflected in their results, with Kairat finding life on the road especially difficult against Europe’s elite which saw them finish rock bottom of the league phase.

Qarabağ FK rank second for total distance travelled, covering 15,579 kilometres across away fixtures against Liverpool, Sporting CP, Napoli and Athletic Club. Handed one of the most demanding schedules in the competition, both in terms of travel and the calibre of opposition, the Azerbaijani champions endured a gruelling league phase on the road.

Results away from home were mixed. Their campaign ended with a heavy 6–0 defeat at Liverpool, but it also included one of the standout moments of the league phase: a remarkable 3–2 comeback victory away at Benfica, having trailed 2–0. The long journeys appeared to work in Qarabağ’s favour once they returned to Baku, where they turned their home fixtures into a fortress. Victories over Eintracht Frankfurt and Copenhagen, along with a memorable draw against Chelsea, ensured enough points to secure a play-off tie against Newcastle United, keeping alive their hopes of reaching the last 16 of the tournament.

Real Madrid occupy third place in the travel rankings, with a total of 10,729 kilometres covered during the league phase, a notable figure for a club based in central Europe. Much of that mileage stemmed from a single arduous trip to Almaty, a round journey of over 6,400 kilometres that stood out as one of the most physically demanding away fixtures of their campaign.

On the pitch, Madrid endured a more difficult season than their usual lofty standards, finishing ninth in the league phase. While progression remains within reach, their path to the last 16 is far from straightforward. To advance, Carlo Ancelotti’s side must overcome Benfica in the play-offs, the very team that handed them defeat in the final match of the league phase, setting up a high-stakes rematch with little margin for error.

Pafos FC of Cyprus (10,335 kilometres) and Bodø/Glimt of Norway (9,947 kilometres) complete the top five for total distance travelled during the league phase. Both clubs were faced with a series of long-haul journeys — including at least one trip exceeding 3,000 kilometres, adding an extra layer of difficulty to already demanding away fixtures.

Pafos can reflect on a campaign to be proud of, falling agonisingly short of a play-off place after missing out on goal difference. For Bodø/Glimt, the outlook appeared bleak after six matches, with qualification hopes fading fast. However, the Norwegian side produced one of the stories of the league phase, claiming back-to-back statement victories over Manchester City and Atlético Madrid to secure a play-off tie against Inter Milan and keep their Champions League dream alive.

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