Arsenal, who reached the European Cup final last season, have been drawn against the Spanish giants Real Madrid and German powerhouse Bayern Munich in this year’s Champions League group phase. The Gunners will also take on Borussia Dortmund and Napoli as they chase a top‑eight finish that guarantees automatic qualification for the knockout round. Arsenal entered the draw on the back of an unbeaten qualifying campaign last term, and they will look to replicate that form in the group stage.
Meanwhile, the Premier League champions Manchester City and Aston Villa will each welcome the defending champions Paris Saint‑Germain at their home grounds. Villa’s clash with PSG at Villa Park mirrors the recent UEFA Super Cup encounter in Salzburg, where the French side edged a 2‑1 victory. Both fixtures promise high‑octane football and will be key tests for the English clubs.
Liverpool’s schedule features a trip to Italy to face Inter Milan and a home tie against Atletico Madrid, while Manchester United have also been paired with Simeone’s Atletico. These match‑ups add further intrigue to the group stage, pitting English clubs against some of Europe’s most tactical teams. Below is a detailed breakdown of each English club’s group opponents: 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 first round of group matches will be contested between September 8 and 10, with subsequent rounds spread across the autumn calendar until December. After the winter break, the league phase resumes in January, culminating with the eighth and final round on January 27.
The top eight teams in the overall standings will progress directly to the round of 16 in March, while those finishing ninth through twenty‑fourth will enter a knockout play‑off in February to claim the remaining eight spots. Teams placed twenty‑fifth to thirty‑sixth will see their European campaign end.
Exact dates, kick‑off times and venues will be confirmed on Saturday, but the structure of the competition is already clear. Four clubs are making their debut in this edition of the Champions League: Como from Italy, coached by former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas; LASK of Austria; Viking from Norway; and Azerbaijani champions Sabah, a club founded only in 2017. Their inclusion highlights the growing geographical diversity of the tournament. A historic first for the season is the presence of an African manager at the group‑stage level.
Former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has guided Slovakian champions Slovan Bratislava through the qualifying play‑off, marking a milestone for African coaching representation in Europe’s premier club competition. The match‑day schedule 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.
The quarter‑finals are slated for April 6/7 and 13/14, the semi‑finals for April 27/28 and May 4/5, and the grand finale will be played 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, highlights and in‑depth analysis throughout the competition.
Additionally, a "Super 6" competition is being run alongside the tournament, offering participants a chance to win a £1 million prize pool – entry is free and open to all supporters. Overall, this Champions League season promises a blend of familiar powerhouses and fresh challengers, with English clubs facing a mix of historic giants and emerging sides.
The group stage fixtures set the stage for dramatic encounters, while the expanded format ensures that every match carries significant weight in the race for European glory.