The official calendar for the Champions League this season has now been published, outlining the dates and opponents for several high‑profile English clubs, including Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa. Arsenal, who were runners‑up in the previous year’s European competition, will encounter two of the continent's most storied sides – Real Madrid and Bayern Munich – during the group phase of the tournament. In addition to those marquee fixtures, the Gunners will also travel to face Borussia Dortmund and Napoli as they chase a top‑eight finish that guarantees direct qualification for the knockout round, having finished the previous campaign unbeaten in the group stage.
Manchester City and Aston Villa have both been drawn to host the defending champions Paris Saint‑Germain at their home grounds. Villa Park’s encounter with PSG will be a repeat of the recent UEFA Super Cup, a match that saw the French side triumph 2‑1 in Salzburg.
This provides Villa with a chance to avenge that loss on familiar turf. Liverpool’s schedule features a demanding away trip to Inter Milan as well as a home tie against Atletico Madrid, while Manchester United will also meet Simeone’s Atletico side in the group stage, adding another Italian‑Spanish showdown to the English clubs’ itineraries.
The group‑stage matchdays are set as follows: Matchday 1 runs from 8‑10 September, Matchday 2 on 13‑14 October, Matchday 3 on 20‑21 October, Matchday 4 on 3‑4 November, Matchday 5 on 24‑25 November, Matchday 6 on 8‑9 December, Matchday 7 on 19‑20 January and Matchday 8 on 27 January. Following the league phase, the competition moves into the knockout‑phase play‑offs, scheduled for 16‑17 February and 23‑24 February.
The round of 16 will be contested over two legs on 9‑10 March and 16‑17 March 2027. Quarter‑finals are slated for 6‑7 April and 13‑14 April, with semi‑finals on 27‑28 April and 4‑5 May.
The championship match will be held on 5 June 2027 at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain. In total, 36 clubs will be participating at this stage of the competition. Twenty‑nine of those earned their places by virtue of their domestic league performances last season, while the remaining seven slots were filled through the qualification rounds.
The format, now in its third year since being introduced, pits each team against eight different opponents – two from each of the four seeding pots – with an equal split of home and away matches. The top eight finishers in the league phase automatically progress to the round of 16. Teams that finish 25th or lower are eliminated from European competition altogether and do not drop into the Europa League.
Those finishing between ninth and 24th enter a two‑legged knockout‑phase play‑off. Within this bracket, clubs placed ninth to 16th are seeded and will be drawn against an unseeded side that finished between 17th and 24th, with the second leg of the tie taking place at the seeded club’s home stadium. The eight winners of the play‑offs then join the eight seeded teams in the round of 16, where the competition intensifies and the path to the quarter‑finals is forged.
The draw for the two‑legged play‑offs has yet to be announced, but the schedule for the subsequent stages remains fixed, culminating in the grand finale at the Estadio Metropolitano. Fans can stay up‑to‑date with fixtures, results and live streams by downloading the Sky Sports app, which also offers a contract‑free way to watch Premier League matches. The Champions League continues to expand its reach and commercial appeal, with additional promotions such as the "Super 6" competition, offering participants a chance to win a £1 million prize at no cost. This season promises a blend of historic rivalries, fresh match‑ups and the ever‑present drama that defines European club football, ensuring that supporters across the continent have plenty to look forward to as the tournament unfolds.