A total of 36 teams will take part in the league phase, with each side playing four matches at home and four away against eight different opponents. The top eight qualify directly for the round of 16, while teams finishing from ninth to 24th enter the knockout play-offs. Matchday one will take place between 8 and 10 September, with the league phase concluding on 27 January 2027. The exact schedule will be published by Saturday at the latest.
Arsenal renew rivalries with Real Madrid and Bayern
Arsenal were handed a particularly attractive set of fixtures. The English champions will face both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, among others. The meeting with Real already comes with plenty of history attached.
In 2006, Arsenal became the first English club to win a European match at the Bernabéu when Thierry Henry scored a spectacular solo goal in a 1-0 victory. The more recent memories are even sweeter: in the 2025 quarter-finals, the Gunners eliminated Real with a 5-1 aggregate win.
Arsenal’s history with Bayern is far less pleasant. The most painful example came in the 2017 round of 16, when the Munich side won both legs 5-1 to complete an emphatic 10-2 aggregate victory. This time, Arsenal will travel to Munich.
Rodri faces his former club
Another standout fixture sees FC Barcelona host Manchester City. The meeting will carry additional significance because of Rodri. The Spanish world champion only left City a few days ago after seven years in Manchester and could now face his former club just a few months after joining Barça.
City will also host Paris Saint-Germain. These two clubs have already met in major Champions League ties. Manchester progressed from the quarter-finals in 2016, before they met again in the semi-finals five years later. City won both legs on that occasion, advancing 4-1 on aggregate to reach their first Champions League final.
Manchester United get Bayern classic
Few fixtures evoke more Champions League memories than Manchester United against Bayern Munich. This time the game will be played at Old Trafford.
The 1999 final in Barcelona remains unforgettable. Bayern led 1-0 until stoppage time before Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer turned the match around within a matter of moments.
The overall Champions League record between the two sides, however, favours Bayern. The German club have won six of the 13 previous meetings, while Manchester United have managed only two victories. The two traditional giants also met in the quarter-finals in 2001, 2010 and 2014.
Liverpool face Atlético again
Liverpool have also been handed two prominent opponents. The Reds travel to Inter Milan, while Atlético Madrid will visit Anfield.
The home game against the Spanish side in particular will bring back memories of 2020 for Liverpool supporters. The reigning Champions League holders lost the first leg of their round-of-16 tie 1-0 in Madrid and looked set to turn the contest around at Anfield. Atlético forced extra time, however, and eventually won 3-2, with Marcos Llorente scoring twice to end Liverpool’s title defence.
There will also be an intriguing rematch between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain. The two clubs only met in the 2025 quarter-finals. PSG won the first leg 3-1 at home, while Villa led 3-2 in the return and came close to completing a dramatic comeback. The French side held on to advance 5-4 on aggregate. Now the reigning Champions League winners will return to Villa Park.
LASK travel to Madrid and host Liverpool
LASK could hardly have asked for a more glamorous draw in their historic first Champions League campaign. Their two most daunting fixtures come from pot one: Dietmar Kühbauer’s side will travel to record winners Real Madrid and host six-time European champions Liverpool at the Oberösterreich Arena.
The other six opponents at least appear to offer greater prospects of picking up points. LASK will welcome FC Porto, Fenerbahçe and Slovan Bratislava to Linz, while their other away games take them to Sporting Lisbon, Bodø/Glimt and AEK Athens. In total, three former winners of the European Cup or Champions League await the Austrian side.
The exact fixture schedule has not yet been confirmed. UEFA will announce the dates and kick-off times no later than Saturday, 29 August. The 2027 Champions League final will be played on 5 June at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid.
