UEFA Announces Draw for 2026-27 Champions League League Phase
UEFA conducted the draw for the League Phase of the 2026-27 Champions League on Thursday in Monaco. The tournament is set to begin on September 8, featuring 36 teams competing for 24 spots in the knockout rounds.
Several exciting matchups emerged from the draw, as each team will play a total of eight matches during the League Phase — four at home and four away against eight different opponents.
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Real Madrid will make a trip to London to challenge the defending Premier League champions, Arsenal. Additionally, they will host Inter Milan in their campaign.
Manchester City is set to host back-to-back Champions League titleholders Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad Stadium. Enzo Maresca’s squad will also visit Camp Nou to meet Barcelona.
Other notable matchups include Inter Milan hosting Liverpool, Barcelona taking on PSG, Atlético Madrid facing Bayern Munich, as well as Manchester United competing against both Bayern Munich at Old Trafford and Liverpool away. Meanwhile, Arsenal will clash with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
The full League Phase schedule will be released by UEFA on Saturday, August 29.
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Upon conclusion of the League Phase, teams ranked 25 to 36 will be eliminated from the competition. Those finishing in positions 9 through 24 will enter a two-legged knockout playoff commencing in February. The top eight teams will automatically progress to the Round of 16 in March.
From the Round of 16 onwards, each knockout phase will consist of a two-leg format.
The final will take place at Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid on June 5, 2027.
PSG enters as the defending two-time champion, having triumphed over Arsenal in the final via penalty shootouts last June. Only Real Madrid has achieved three consecutive titles in the Champions League era, doing so from 2016 to 2018.
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This season introduces four newcomers to the competition: Como from Italy, LASK from Austria, Sabah from Azerbaijan, and Viking from Norway will all make their debuts in the League Phase.
Here are the 36 teams competing in Europe’s premier tournament this season:
Austria: LASK
Azerbaijan: Sabah FK
Belgium: Club Brugge
Czechia: Slavia Prague
England: Aston Villa, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool
France: Paris Saint-Germain, Lens, Lille
Germany: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, VfB Stuttgart
Greece: AEK Athens
Italy: Inter Milan, Napoli, Roma, Como
Netherlands: PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord
Norway: Bodø/Glimt, Viking FK
Portugal: Porto, Sporting CP
Slovakia: ŠK Slovan Bratislava
Spain: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Villarreal, Atlético Madrid, Real Betis
Türkiye: Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe
Ukraine: Shakhtar Donetsk
2026-27 Champions League schedule
Matchday 1: Sept. 8-10
Matchday 2: Oct. 13-14
Matchday 3: Oct. 20-21
Matchday 4: Nov. 3-4
Matchday 5: Nov. 24-25
Matchday 6: Dec. 8-9
Matchday 7: Jan. 19-20
Matchday 8: Jan. 27
Knockout phase playoffs: Feb. 16-17 and 23-24
Round of 16: March 9-10 and 16-17
Quarterfinals: April 6-7 and 13-14
Semifinals: April 27-28 and May 4-5
Final: June 5 (Madrid, Spain)
UEFA held the draw for the League Phase portion of the 2026-27 Champions League on Thursday in Monaco. The competition will kick off on Sept. 8 with Matchday 1 with 36 teams vying to be among 24 to advance to the knockout stages.
There were a number of intriguing matchups to come out of the draw, which will see each team will play a total of eight matches during the League Phase — four home and four away against eight different opponents.
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Real Madrid will travel to London to face the reigning Premier League champions Arsenal. They will also host Inter Milan.
Manchester City and back-to-back Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain will meet at the Etihad. Enzo Maresca’s side will also travel to Camp Nou to play Barcelona.
Other matchups will see Inter Milan hosting Liverpool; Barcelona visiting PSG; Atlético Madrid welcoming Bayern Munich and Manchester United, while also traveling to face Liverpool; Bayern Munich playing Manchester United at Old Trafford; and Arsenal taking on Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena.
The full League Phase schedule will be announced by UEFA on Saturday, Aug. 29.
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Following the completion of the League Phase fixtures, teams placed 25 to 36 in the table will be eliminated. Teams in positions 9 through 24 will take part in a two-legged knockout phase playoff beginning in February. The top eight teams will automatically advance to the Round of 16 in March.
From the Round of 16 through the semifinals, each knockout stage will be decided over two legs.
Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid will play host to the June 5, 2027 final.
PSG is the reigning back-to-back champion after defeating Arsenal following penalty kicks in June’s final. Only Real Madrid from 2016-18 has claimed three titles in a row in the Champions League era.
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There are four newcomers to the competition this season: Como (Italy), LASK (Austria), Sabah (Azerbaijan), and Viking (Norway) will all debut during the League Phase.
Here are the 36 teams that will be playing in Europe’s highest competition this season:
Austria: LASK
Azerbaijan: Sabah FK
Belgium: Club Brugge
Czechia: Slavia Prague
England: Aston Villa, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool
France: Paris Saint-Germain, Lens, Lille
Germany: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, VfB Stuttgart
Greece: AEK Athens
Italy: Inter Milan, Napoli, Roma, Como
Netherlands: PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord
Norway: Bodø/Glimt, Viking FK
Portugal: Porto, Sporting CP
Slovakia: ŠK Slovan Bratislava
Spain: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Villarreal, Atlético Madrid, Real Betis
Türkiye: Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe
Ukraine: Shakhtar Donetsk
2026-27 Champions League schedule
Matchday 1: Sept. 8-10
Matchday 2: Oct. 13-14
Matchday 3: Oct. 20-21
Matchday 4: Nov. 3-4
Matchday 5: Nov. 24-25
Matchday 6: Dec. 8-9
Matchday 7: Jan. 19-20
Matchday 8: Jan. 27
Knockout phase playoffs: Feb. 16-17 and 23-24
Round of 16: March 9-10 and 16-17
Quarterfinals: April 6-7 and 13-14
Semifinals: April 27-28 and May 4-5
Final: June 5 (Madrid, Spain)
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