Arsenal, who reached the European Cup final last season, have been drawn against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in this year’s Champions League group phase. Their schedule also includes matches against Borussia Dortmund and Napoli as they chase a top‑eight finish that guarantees direct qualification for the knockout round.
Arsenal entered the competition with a flawless record in the previous campaign, topping their group and earning the right to defend their place among Europe’s elite. In the upcoming fixtures, the Gunners will host Real Madrid at the Emirates before traveling to Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena. The remaining games will see them travel to Dortmund, host Napoli, travel to Lille, and conclude with a home match against Real Betis, among others, offering a blend of high‑profile clashes and opportunities to secure vital points.
Meanwhile, Manchester City and Aston Villa have both been allocated home games against the defending champions Paris Saint‑Germain. Villa’s encounter at Villa Park will echo the recent UEFA Super Cup showdown in Salzburg, where PSG emerged victorious with a 2‑1 win. City’s fixture against the French giants promises another high‑octane contest, as the English champions look to assert their dominance on the continental stage.
Liverpool’s group is equally demanding, featuring a trip to Italy to face Inter Milan and a home tie against Atletico Madrid. Their schedule also includes fixtures against FC Porto, Club Brugge, Villarreal, Fenerbahçe, Lens and LASK, providing a mixture of tactical challenges across several footballing cultures.
The full list of group opponents for each English club is as follows: - 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 group stage will kick off 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 overall table will progress directly to the round of 16 in March. Those placed ninth through twenty‑fourth will enter a knockout play‑off round in February to determine the remaining eight spots, while clubs finishing twenty‑fifth to thirty‑sixth will see their European campaign end. Exact dates, kick‑off times and venues for each fixture are slated for release on Saturday, providing fans with a complete roadmap for the season. Four clubs are making their debut in this edition of the Champions League: Como from Italy, coached by former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fàbregas; LASK from Austria; Viking from Norway; and Azerbaijani champions Sabah, a club founded only in 2017.
Their participation highlights the expanding reach of the competition and introduces fresh narratives to the tournament. A historic first for the campaign is the presence of an African head coach in the main draw.
Former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Touré, now in charge of Slovakian champions Slovan Bratislava, guided his side through the qualifying play‑off round on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone for representation in European club football. The matchday 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 begin 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 set for April 6/7 and 13/14, semi‑finals for April 27/28 and May 4/5, and 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, analysis and exclusive content throughout the competition. Additionally, a promotional "Super 6" contest offers participants a chance to win a £1 million prize, with free entry available for all supporters eager to test their knowledge of the Champions League.