The Champions League 2026/27 fixtures is finally here, with Europe’s biggest clubs preparing for another thrilling battle for the most prestigious trophy in European club football.
The new Champions League campaign begins on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, with the league phase running until January 27, 2027. A total of 36 teams will compete in the league phase, with each club playing eight matches against different opponents.
Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan are among the heavyweight clubs involved.
The Champions League final will take place at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid on June 5, 2027.
Champions League 2026/27 Teams
The 36 clubs competing in this season’s league phase are:
England: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United
Spain: Atlético de Madrid, Barcelona, Real Betis, Real Madrid, Villarreal
Germany: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Leipzig, Stuttgart
Italy: Como, Inter Milan, Napoli, Roma
France: Lens, Lille, Paris Saint-Germain
Portugal: Porto, Sporting CP
Netherlands: Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven
Türkiye: Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray
Norway: Bodø/Glimt, Viking
Belgium: Club Brugge
Austria: LASK
Azerbaijan: Sabah
Czechia: Slavia Praha
Greece: AEK Athens
Slovakia: Slovan Bratislava
Ukraine: Shakhtar Donetsk
UEFA confirmed all 36 teams for the league phase ahead of the campaign.
Champions League Matchday 1 Fixtures
The opening matchday will be played from September 8 to September 10.
Tuesday, September 8
AEK Athens vs LASK — 18:45 CET
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa — 18:45 CET
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal
Porto vs Manchester City
Lille vs Real Betis
Real Madrid vs Inter Milan
Wednesday, September 9
Barcelona vs Feyenoord — 18:45 CET
Stuttgart vs Viking — 18:45 CET
Liverpool vs Atlético Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain vs Slovan Bratislava
Sporting CP vs Galatasaray
Napoli vs Arsenal
Thursday, September 10
Fenerbahçe vs Roma — 18:45 CET
PSV Eindhoven vs Shakhtar Donetsk — 18:45 CET
Como vs Leipzig
Bayern Munich vs Bodø/Glimt
Manchester United vs Sabah
Slavia Praha vs Lens
UEFA states that matches without a special early kick-off time are scheduled for 21:00 CET.
Full Champions League League-Phase Schedule
The eight matchdays will be spread across September, October, November, December and January.
Matchday 1: September 8–10, 2026
Matchday 2: October 13–14, 2026
Matchday 3: October 20–21, 2026
Matchday 4: November 3–4, 2026
Matchday 5: November 24–25, 2026
Matchday 6: December 8–9, 2026
Matchday 7: January 19–20, 2027
Matchday 8: January 27, 2027
Biggest Matches to Watch
There are several huge fixtures to look forward to during the league phase.
Liverpool begin their campaign at home against Atlético Madrid, while Arsenal travel to face Napoli. Manchester City visit Porto on Matchday 1, and Real Madrid host Inter Milan in one of the standout opening-night fixtures.
The second matchday will also produce some major encounters, including Manchester City vs Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético Madrid vs Manchester United and Roma vs Real Madrid.
Matchday 3 brings another blockbuster as Paris Saint-Germain host Barcelona, while Bayern Munich welcome Arsenal. Liverpool will face Villarreal at Anfield.
Later in the league phase, Arsenal will host Borussia Dortmund before facing Real Madrid, while Liverpool travel to Inter Milan and later welcome Porto and Lens.
When Does the Champions League Knockout Stage Begin?
After the eight-match league phase, the competition moves into the knockout rounds.
The knockout phase play-offs are scheduled for February 16/17 and February 23/24, 2027.
The round of 16 will follow in March, with the quarter-finals scheduled for April and the semi-finals taking place across April and May.
The Champions League final is scheduled for June 5, 2027, in Madrid.
Who Will Win the Champions League?
With 36 teams competing and several European giants involved, predicting the winner will be difficult.
Paris Saint-Germain enter the campaign as defending champions, while Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Liverpool and Arsenal will all have ambitions of going deep into the competition.
The new league-phase format also means every match matters. Clubs must consistently collect points across their eight games if they want to secure a favourable position heading into the knockout stage.
For football fans, that promises months of high-profile European football, with some of the world’s best players competing against each other.
Final Thoughts
The 2026/27 Champions League promises another spectacular European campaign.
With 36 clubs, eight league-phase matchdays and a series of heavyweight fixtures, there will be plenty of storylines to follow throughout the season.
Liverpool’s meeting with Atlético Madrid, Manchester City’s trip to Porto, Arsenal’s clash with Napoli and Real Madrid’s encounter with Inter are among the biggest opening fixtures.
As the competition gets underway on September 8, attention now turns to which clubs can survive the league phase and ultimately reach the final in Madrid.
Who do you think will win the 2026/27 Champions League?
