Arsenal, who reached the European final last season, have been drawn against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in this year’s Champions League group phase. The Gunners will also clash with Borussia Dortmund and Napoli as they aim to secure a top‑eight finish that guarantees automatic qualification for the knockout round.
Arsenal entered the competition as the previous season's qualifiers with a flawless record, and they will be looking to replicate that consistency against some of Europe’s most storied clubs. In parallel, both Manchester City and Aston Villa will welcome the defending champions Paris Saint‑Germain at their home grounds. Villa's encounter with PSG will be a repeat of the recent UEFA Super Cup showdown, a match that saw the French side edge out a 2‑1 victory in Salzburg. This adds an extra layer of intrigue for Villa supporters, who will be eager to avenge that defeat on familiar turf.
Liverpool’s schedule features a challenging trip to Italy to face Inter Milan, as well as a home tie against Atletico Madrid. Meanwhile, Manchester United have been paired with Simeone’s Atletico in an away fixture, promising a tactical battle between two of the game’s most disciplined managers. Below is a detailed breakdown of the group fixtures for each English club: Arsenal: Real Madrid (home), Bayern Munich (away), Borussia Dortmund (home), Real Betis (away), Lille (home), Napoli (away), Sabah (home), Slavia Prague (away) Aston Villa: Barcelona (away), PSG (home), Borussia Dortmund (home), Club Brugge (away), Fenerbahçe (home), Galatasaray (away), Viking (home), Slavia Prague (away) Liverpool: Inter Milan (away), Atletico Madrid (home), FC Porto (home), Club Brugge (away), Villarreal (home), Fenerbahçe (away), Lens (home), LASK (away) Manchester City: PSG (home), Barcelona (away), Sporting CP (home), Porto (away), Napoli (home), RB Leipzig (away), AEK Athens (home), Lens (away) Manchester United: Atletico Madrid (away), Bayern Munich (home), Roma (home), Sporting CP (away), RB Leipzig (home), Villarreal (away), Sabah (home), Como (away) The opening round of matches will be contested between September 8 and 10, with the first six matchdays running through to early December. After the winter break, the league phase resumes in January, culminating with the eighth and final round on January 27.
The eight teams that finish at the top of the group standings will advance directly to the round of 16 in March, while those placed ninth through twenty‑fourth will enter the knockout play‑offs in February to compete for the remaining eight spots. Teams finishing twenty‑fifth to thirty‑sixth will see their European campaign end at this stage. Exact dates, kick‑off times and the full schedule will be released on Saturday, giving fans the opportunity to mark their calendars for the key fixtures.
Four clubs are making their debut in this edition of the Champions League. Italian side Como, coached by former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas, will be looking to make an immediate impact.
Austria’s LASK, Norway’s Viking, and Azerbaijan’s Sabah – a club founded only in 2017 – round out the newcomers, highlighting the growing geographic diversity of the competition. A historic first for this season is the presence of an African head coach at the group stage. Former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Touré, now in charge of Slovak champions Slovan Bratislava, guided his side through a successful qualifying play‑off on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone for African representation in European club football.
The matchday calendar is as follows: - Matchday 1: September 8‑10 - Matchday 2: October 13‑14 - Matchday 3: October 20‑21 - Matchday 4: November 3‑4 - Matchday 5: November 24‑25 - Matchday 6: December 8‑9 - Matchday 7: January 19‑20 - Matchday 8: January 27 The knockout phase will commence with play‑offs on February 16/17 and 23/24, followed by the round of 16 on March 9/10 and 16/17. Quarter‑finals are slated for April 6/7 and 13/14, with semi‑final legs on April 27/28 and May 4/5. The grand finale will take place on June 5, 2027, at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid. Fans can stay up to date by downloading the Sky Sports app, which will provide live scores, match highlights and in‑depth analysis throughout the campaign.
Additionally, a promotional "Super 6" competition offers participants a chance to win £1 million, with entry available for free. This added incentive aims to boost engagement and reward supporters who follow the action closely. Overall, the group stage promises a blend of high‑profile clashes, debutant enthusiasm and historic moments, setting the stage for a thrilling Champions League season that will capture the imagination of football lovers across the continent.