The 2026–27 UEFA Champions League league phase draw concluded in Monaco on Thursday, mapping out the path for all 36 participating clubs. The competition, now in its third year under the current league phase format, is set to kick off on September 8.
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain, managed by Luis Enrique, face a challenging schedule that includes home matches against Barcelona and away trips to Manchester City. PSG’s remaining league phase opponents include Roma, Aston Villa, Galatasaray, Villarreal, Slovan Bratislava, and Como.
Real Madrid, the 15-time record winners, will host Inter Milan and travel to face Arsenal. Their schedule also features fixtures against PSV Eindhoven, Roma, RB Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk, LASK, and AEK Athens. The match against Inter carries extra significance as it reunites Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho with the club he led to the 2010 Champions League title.
Arsenal, the runners-up from last season, are set to host Borussia Dortmund, Lille, and Azerbaijani side Sabah, with away matches scheduled against Bayern Munich, Real Betis, Napoli, and Slavia Prague. Meanwhile, Liverpool will welcome Atletico Madrid, Porto, Villarreal, and Lens to Anfield, while traveling to face Inter Milan, Club Brugge, Fenerbahce, and LASK.
Manchester United’s draw includes home fixtures against Bayern Munich, Roma, RB Leipzig, and Sabah, alongside away games at Atletico Madrid, Sporting CP, Villarreal, and Como. Aston Villa, the reigning Europa League winners, will host PSG, Borussia Dortmund, Fenerbahce, and Viking, with away tests against Barcelona, Club Brugge, Galatasaray, and Slavia Prague.
Several clubs are marking historic milestones in this year’s competition. Fenerbahce returns to the Champions League proper for the first time since the 2008/09 season. Como and Sabah are making their tournament debuts, while LASK and Norwegian champions Viking have reached this stage for the first time in their histories.
Prior to the draw, individual honors were presented in Monaco. PSG captain Marquinhos received the inaugural UEFA Respect: Beyond the Game Award, and Thierry Henry was honored with the UEFA President’s Award, presented by Aleksander Ceferin.
The opening matches of the league phase are scheduled for September 8–10, with the final round of fixtures concluding in late January. UEFA is expected to release the complete match schedule this Saturday. The 2026-27 campaign will culminate in the final, which is slated for June 5, 2027, at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid. The report also notes that introduced in the 2024-25 season, is entering its third campaign, the league phase format. The report also notes that mourinho, who returned for a second spell in charge of Real in June, guided Inter to the Champions League title in 2010 before leaving for the Santiago Bernabeu. The report also notes that fenerbahce are back in the Champions League proper for the first time since 2008/09 after beating Lyon in the play-offs this week.
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