Champions League draw delivers blockbuster ties as Europe’s giants learn league-phase opponents
The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league-phase draw has produced heavyweight clashes involving PSG, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and all five English representatives.
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The road to Madrid has been mapped out after the draw for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase produced a glittering collection of heavyweight encounters, difficult away trips and potentially decisive meetings between Europe’s biggest clubs.
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain, record winners Real Madrid and the five English representatives—Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Aston Villa—were among the 36 clubs that discovered their eight opponents during Thursday’s draw in Monaco.
Under the league-phase format, every club will play eight matches against eight different opponents, comprising four games at home and four away. Each team was paired with two opponents from each of the four seeding pots, facing one at home and the other away.
The draw immediately delivered several headline fixtures, including Paris Saint-Germain against Barcelona, Manchester City against Barcelona, Real Madrid against Arsenal, Bayern Munich against Manchester United, Liverpool against Inter Milan and Atlético Madrid against Liverpool.
The precise dates and kick-off times will be published separately by UEFA, with the complete fixture list expected no later than Saturday, August 29. UEFA
PSG handed Barcelona and Manchester City tests
Paris Saint-Germain’s title defence will begin with a demanding schedule featuring two of the competition’s leading contenders.
The French champions will welcome Barcelona to Paris and travel to face Manchester City in their two Pot 1 contests. Those matches will pit PSG against former manager Luis Enrique’s old club and one of the most powerful teams in English football.
PSG will also host Roma and travel to Aston Villa, before playing Galatasaray at home and Villarreal away. Their final two opponents are Slovan Bratislava at home and Italian newcomers Como away.
Although PSG will be expected to collect maximum points against some of the lower-ranked sides, meetings with Barcelona, City, Roma and Villa leave little room for a slow start.
PSG opponents
Home: Barcelona, Roma, Galatasaray and Slovan Bratislava
Away: Manchester City, Aston Villa, Villarreal and Como
Arsenal face Real Madrid and Bayern Munich
Arsenal have been handed one of the most demanding draws among the English representatives.
The Gunners will welcome Real Madrid to North London and travel to Bayern Munich in two elite-level fixtures that could have a major influence on whether they finish inside the top eight.
Arsenal’s Pot 2 opposition consists of Borussia Dortmund at home and Real Betis away, while they will host Lille and travel to Napoli from Pot 3. They complete their programme by welcoming Azerbaijan’s Sabah and travelling to Slavia Prague.
After narrowly missing out on the trophy last season, Arsenal will again enter the tournament as one of the leading contenders. Their league-phase schedule, however, offers very few straightforward assignments.
Arsenal opponents
Home: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Lille and Sabah
Away: Bayern Munich, Real Betis, Napoli and Slavia Prague
Manchester City draw PSG and Barcelona
Manchester City’s draw is arguably the most glamorous of the league phase.
City will host defending champions PSG and travel to Barcelona, setting up two early examinations of their European credentials. The match in Catalonia will also renew one of modern European football’s most fascinating sporting rivalries.
Sporting CP and Napoli will visit Manchester, while City must travel to Porto and RB Leipzig. Their Pot 4 assignments are a home game against AEK Athens and a trip to Lens.
The overall schedule is challenging, particularly because four of City’s away matches—Barcelona, Porto, Leipzig and Lens—will be staged in venues capable of producing hostile atmospheres.
Manchester City opponents
Home: PSG, Sporting CP, Napoli and AEK Athens
Away: Barcelona, Porto, RB Leipzig and Lens
Manchester United return with Bayern reunion
Manchester United’s return to the Champions League will include a home meeting with Bayern Munich, reviving memories of some of the competition’s most famous encounters.
United will also travel to Atlético Madrid, the venue where the 2027 Champions League final will be played. Their Pot 2 assignments are Roma at home and Sporting CP away.
RB Leipzig will visit Old Trafford, while United travel to Villarreal. They complete their fixtures with a home match against Sabah and an away trip to Como.
The meetings with Bayern and Atlético appear to be United’s toughest assignments, but trips to Sporting, Villarreal and Como could also prove uncomfortable. United have won only two of their previous 13 meetings with Bayern and are yet to defeat Atlético in four encounters, adding further intrigue to their draw.
Manchester United opponents
Home: Bayern Munich, Roma, RB Leipzig and Sabah
Away: Atlético Madrid, Sporting CP, Villarreal and Como
Liverpool handed Inter and Atlético tests
Liverpool appear to have received a comparatively manageable draw, although their schedule still contains significant challenges.
The Reds will host Atlético Madrid and visit Inter Milan in their two Pot 1 matches. Porto will travel to Anfield, while Liverpool face Club Brugge away.
Liverpool will also welcome Villarreal and travel to Fenerbahçe, where one of the competition’s most intimidating atmospheres awaits. Their Pot 4 opponents are Lens at home and LASK away.
Trips to Inter, Fenerbahçe and Club Brugge will test Liverpool’s ability to control matches away from home, but four home fixtures against Atlético, Porto, Villarreal and Lens provide a solid platform from which to pursue a top-eight finish.
Liverpool opponents
Home: Atlético Madrid, Porto, Villarreal and Lens
Away: Inter Milan, Club Brugge, Fenerbahçe and LASK
Aston Villa face PSG, Barcelona and Dortmund
Aston Villa were given one of the toughest schedules in the competition.
Villa will host PSG and travel to Barcelona in their Pot 1 assignments. They also welcome Borussia Dortmund and visit Club Brugge, before facing Fenerbahçe at home and Galatasaray away.
Their programme concludes with a home match against Viking and a visit to Slavia Prague.
The combination of PSG, Barcelona and Dortmund gives Villa three matches against established European powers. Their trips to Galatasaray and Slavia Prague will also present severe atmospheric and tactical challenges.
Aston Villa opponents
Home: PSG, Borussia Dortmund, Fenerbahçe and Viking
Away: Barcelona, Club Brugge, Galatasaray and Slavia Prague
Real Madrid face Arsenal as Mourinho prepares for Inter reunion
Real Madrid will host Inter Milan and travel to Arsenal in two of the league phase’s most anticipated fixtures.
The Spanish giants will also welcome PSV Eindhoven and travel to Roma, while RB Leipzig visit Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk host Real.
Their remaining matches are at home to LASK and away to AEK Athens.
Real’s meeting with Inter carries additional significance because of José Mourinho’s historic relationship with the Italian club. Mourinho led Inter to a famous treble, including the Champions League title, in 2010.
The Arsenal fixture will provide another major examination, while Roma, Leipzig and Shakhtar ensure Madrid’s programme contains several potentially difficult nights.
Real Madrid opponents
Home: Inter Milan, PSV, RB Leipzig and LASK
Away: Arsenal, Roma, Shakhtar Donetsk and AEK Athens
Barcelona face City, PSG and Premier League opposition
Barcelona’s schedule features blockbuster fixtures against Manchester City and PSG.
The Catalan club will host City and travel to Paris. They will also welcome Aston Villa and visit Sporting CP before hosting Feyenoord and travelling to Galatasaray.
Como will visit Barcelona in another eye-catching fixture, while Barça’s final away assignment will take them to Azerbaijan to face Sabah.
The matches against City and PSG will attract global attention, while away trips to Paris, Lisbon, Istanbul and Baku will test Barcelona’s endurance as well as their quality.
Barcelona opponents
Home: Manchester City, Aston Villa, Feyenoord and Como
Away: PSG, Sporting CP, Galatasaray and Sabah
Bayern draw Arsenal, Atlético and Manchester United
Bayern Munich will host Arsenal and travel to Atlético Madrid in their Pot 1 fixtures.
The German champions will also welcome Real Betis and visit Manchester United. Bodø/Glimt and Slavia Prague will travel to Munich, while Bayern face Lille and Viking away.
The trip to Old Trafford evokes the dramatic 1999 final, when United scored twice in added time to deny Bayern the trophy. Their home meeting with Arsenal is another potentially decisive contest between two clubs expected to challenge near the top of the overall standings.
Bayern Munich opponents
Home: Arsenal, Real Betis, Bodø/Glimt and Slavia Prague
Away: Atlético Madrid, Manchester United, Lille and Viking
Atlético handed punishing schedule
Atlético Madrid must negotiate games against Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester United during a particularly demanding league phase.
Diego Simeone’s side will host Bayern and travel to Liverpool. Manchester United and Fenerbahçe will also visit Madrid, while Atlético travel to PSV and Bodø/Glimt.
Their remaining games are at home to Viking and away to Stuttgart.
Atlético will hope to build sufficient momentum during the league phase to remain in the tournament all the way to the final, which will be staged at their own Estadio Metropolitano on June 5, 2027. UEFA
Atlético Madrid opponents
Home: Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Fenerbahçe and Viking
Away: Liverpool, PSV, Bodø/Glimt and Stuttgart
Dortmund face Inter and Arsenal
Borussia Dortmund will welcome Inter Milan and travel to Arsenal.
Dortmund also host Real Betis and visit Aston Villa, before games at home to Villarreal and away to Bodø/Glimt. Their Pot 4 matches are AEK Athens at home and Sabah away.
Their fixtures contain significant challenges, but Dortmund will view their home matches against Inter, Betis, Villarreal and AEK as an opportunity to gather the points needed for qualification.
Borussia Dortmund opponents
Home: Inter, Real Betis, Villarreal and AEK Athens
Away: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bodø/Glimt and Sabah
Inter draw Liverpool, Real Madrid and Dortmund
Inter Milan have been handed three major fixtures against Liverpool, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
The Italians will host Liverpool and travel to Madrid, before welcoming Club Brugge and visiting Dortmund. Shakhtar Donetsk and Stuttgart will come to Milan, while Inter travel to Feyenoord and Slovan Bratislava.
It is a demanding but balanced draw, with Inter playing three of their biggest opponents at home.
Inter opponents
Home: Liverpool, Club Brugge, Shakhtar Donetsk and Stuttgart
Away: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Feyenoord and Slovan Bratislava
Roma handed Real Madrid and PSG challenge
Roma will welcome Real Madrid and travel to defending champions PSG.
Their other opponents are Sporting CP at home, Manchester United away, Lille at home, Fenerbahçe away, Slovan Bratislava at home and AEK Athens away.
Roma’s four away games—PSG, United, Fenerbahçe and AEK—make their schedule especially challenging.
Roma opponents
Home: Real Madrid, Sporting CP, Lille and Slovan Bratislava
Away: PSG, Manchester United, Fenerbahçe and AEK Athens
Napoli face Arsenal and Manchester City
Napoli will host Arsenal and travel to Manchester City in their Pot 1 matches.
Club Brugge and Bodø/Glimt will visit Naples, while Napoli travel to Porto, Villarreal and Sabah. Viking complete the Italian club’s home schedule.
Napoli opponents
Home: Arsenal, Club Brugge, Bodø/Glimt and Viking
Away: Manchester City, Porto, Villarreal and Sabah
Newcomers handed dream—and daunting—fixtures
The draw created several fairytale matchups for the competition’s less-established clubs.
Como, appearing in the league phase after a remarkable rise in Italian football, will welcome PSG, Manchester United, RB Leipzig and AEK Athens. Their away schedule consists of Barcelona, Real Betis, Feyenoord and Lens.
Azerbaijan’s Sabah will receive Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Villarreal, while travelling to Arsenal, Manchester United, Slavia Prague and Viking.
AEK Athens face home matches against Real Madrid, Roma, Galatasaray and Shakhtar, together with trips to Manchester City, Dortmund, LASK and Como.
Norwegian sides Viking and Bodø/Glimt were also handed major occasions. Viking will welcome Bayern Munich, PSV, Feyenoord and Sabah, while travelling to Atlético, Aston Villa, Napoli and Stuttgart. Bodø/Glimt will host Atlético, Dortmund, Lille and LASK, with away fixtures against Bayern, Club Brugge, Napoli and Lens.
Slovan Bratislava’s programme includes home meetings with Inter, Real Betis, Shakhtar and Stuttgart, alongside trips to PSG, Roma, Lille and LASK.
How the league phase works
All 36 clubs will be placed in a single standings table, even though they will not play every other team.
Each victory is worth three points and a draw one. Goal difference and other UEFA tiebreakers will separate teams finishing level on points.
At the end of the eight matchdays:
- Teams finishing first to eighth qualify automatically for the round of 16.
- Teams placed ninth to 24th enter a two-legged knockout play-off.
- Clubs finishing 25th to 36th are eliminated from European competition.
- There is no transfer into the Europa League.
The league phase begins between September 8 and 10 and concludes on January 27, 2027. The knockout play-offs will be played in February, with the round of 16 beginning in March. The final is scheduled for June 5 at Atlético Madrid’s Estadio Metropolitano. UEFA competition calendar
With PSG defending their crown, Arsenal seeking a first Champions League title, Manchester United returning to the competition and Real Madrid once again targeting European glory, the draw has prepared the ground for an intense four-month battle.
The absence of traditional groups means every result will feed into one 36-team table, increasing the importance of goal difference, away performances and points collected against supposedly weaker opponents.
For Europe’s giants, the objective will be to secure a top-eight position and avoid the additional knockout play-off. For the newcomers, the draw has delivered historic nights against some of world football’s most celebrated clubs.