The 2026–27 UEFA Champions League league phase draw in Monaco has concluded, with all 36 participating clubs learning their opponents for the upcoming campaign. The tournament is set to kick off on September 8, with the final scheduled for June 5, 2027, at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.
Before the draw commenced, individual honors were presented. Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos received the inaugural UEFA Respect: Beyond the Game Award, while Thierry Henry was honored with the UEFA President’s Award from Aleksander Ceferin.
Defending champions PSG, managed by Luis Enrique, face a challenging path after defeating Arsenal on penalties in last season’s final. Their league phase schedule includes high-stakes meetings with Barcelona and Manchester City, alongside fixtures against Roma, Aston Villa, Galatasaray, Villarreal, Slovan Bratislava, and Como.
Real Madrid, the 15-time champions, are set to host Inter Milan and travel to face Arsenal. This meeting with Inter holds extra significance as it pits Real manager Jose Mourinho against his former side, which he led to the 2010 title before moving to the Santiago Bernabeu. Madrid’s remaining opponents include PSV Eindhoven, Roma, RB Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk, LASK, and AEK Athens.
Arsenal, the runners-up from the previous season, will host Borussia Dortmund, Lille, and Sabah, with away matches against Bayern Munich, Real Betis, Napoli, and Slavia Prague. Meanwhile, Liverpool’s schedule features home games against Atletico Madrid, Porto, Villarreal, and Lens, with trips to face Inter Milan, Club Brugge, Fenerbahce, and LASK.
Manchester United will host Bayern Munich, Roma, RB Leipzig, and Sabah, while traveling to play Atletico Madrid, Sporting CP, Villarreal, and Como. Europa League holders Aston Villa are set to host PSG, Borussia Dortmund, Fenerbahce, and Viking, with away games against Barcelona, Club Brugge, Galatasaray, and Slavia Prague.
Several clubs are marking milestones in this third year of the league phase format. Fenerbahce returns to the competition for the first time since the 2008/09 season following a play-off victory over Lyon. Como and Sabah are making their tournament debuts, while LASK qualified after a comeback win against Celtic. Additionally, Norwegian champions Viking have reached the competition proper for the first time, drawing opponents including Atletico Madrid, Aston Villa, and Napoli.
The opening matches are slated for September 8–10, with the final round of the league phase concluding in late January. UEFA is expected to release the comprehensive fixture list this Saturday. The report also notes that introduced in the 2024-25 season, is entering its third campaign, the league phase format. The report also notes that mourinho, who returned for a second spell in charge of Real in June, guided Inter to the Champions League title in 2010 before leaving for the Santiago Bernabeu.
