The 2026-27 Champions League campaign will culminate in a final at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on 5 June. Ahead of the tournament, the league phase draw has pitted back-to-back winners Paris St-Germain against Premier League sides Manchester City and Aston Villa, alongside a high-profile clash with Barcelona at the Parc des Princes.
Arsenal, who finished as runners-up last season, have been drawn to host 15-time champions Real Madrid at Emirates Stadium, with an away trip to Bayern Munich also on their schedule. Mikel Arteta’s side will additionally face Borussia Dortmund, Real Betis, Lille, Napoli, Azerbaijan’s Sabah, and Slavia Prague.
Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City will host PSG and travel to Barcelona, marking a reunion with former midfielder Rodri following his £65m summer move to the Nou Camp. City’s other fixtures include home matches against Napoli and Sporting Club, and away tests against Porto, RB Leipzig, AEK Athens, and Lens. Meanwhile, Europa League winners Aston Villa return to the competition with home games against PSG and Dortmund, plus away trips to Barcelona and Galatasaray, alongside fixtures against Club Brugge, Fenerbahce, Viking, and Slavia Prague.
Liverpool’s campaign features home matches against Atletico Madrid, Porto, Villarreal, and Lens, with away games at Inter Milan, Club Brugge, Fenerbahce, and LASK. Manchester United, returning after a two-year absence, will face Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Roma, Sporting Club, Leipzig, Villarreal, Sabah, and Como.
League Phase Fixtures for Premier League Clubs
- Arsenal: Real Madrid (home), Bayern Munich (away), Borussia Dortmund (home), Real Betis (away), Lille (home), Napoli (away), Sabah (home), Slavia Prague (away)
- Aston Villa: PSG (home), Barcelona (away), Borussia Dortmund (home), Club Brugge (away), Fenerbahce (home), Galatasaray (away), Viking (home), Slavia Prague (away)
- Liverpool: Atletico Madrid (home), Inter Milan (away), Porto (home), Club Brugge (away), Villarreal (home), Fenerbahce (away), Lens (home), LASK (away)
- Manchester City: PSG (home), Barcelona (away), Sporting Club (home), Porto (away), Napoli (home), Leipzig (away), AEK Athens (home), Lens (away)
- Manchester United: Bayern Munich (home), Atletico Madrid (away), Roma (home), Sporting Club (away), Leipzig (home), Villarreal (away), Sabah (home), Como (away)
Competition Format and Timeline
The league phase consists of 36 teams, each playing eight matches—four at home and four away. The top eight finishers qualify automatically for the last 16, while teams placing ninth through 24th enter a two-legged knockout play-off. Sides finishing 25th or lower are eliminated without dropping into the Europa League. The first matches are scheduled for 8 September, with the final round of league games on 27 January 2027; the official schedule will be released this Saturday.
Last season, Arsenal topped the league phase with 24 points, while Liverpool finished third and Bayern Munich second. PSG eventually defeated Arsenal in the final to secure their second consecutive title, while Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle, and Tottenham were eliminated in the last 16, and Liverpool exited in the quarter-finals. The report also notes that liverpool were third – behind second-placed Bayern Munich – with 18 points while Tottenham finished one point behind in fourth.
Important Details
- The report also notes that how does the league phase work.
