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Arsenal will face Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in a tough Champions League league-phase campaign.
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Manchester City have been drawn against defending champions PSG and Barcelona.
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Liverpool will meet Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan, while Barcelona face City, PSG and Aston Villa.
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Manchester United and Aston Villa also face major European tests in the new-look league phase.
August 27, (THEWILL) — The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League draw has delivered several blockbuster fixtures, with Europe’s biggest clubs learning their opponents for the new league-phase campaign.
Among the biggest talking points, Arsenal will host 15-time European champions Real Madrid, while Manchester City have been drawn against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.
Liverpool have also been handed a difficult set of fixtures, with Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan among their opponents, while Manchester United will face Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid.
The draw was conducted under the Champions League’s expanded format, with each of the 36 teams set to play eight different opponents — four at home and four away.
The exact dates and kick-off times for the individual matches will be announced by UEFA on Saturday, August 29.
Arsenal handed Real Madrid test
Arsenal’s meeting with Real Madrid is one of the standout fixtures of the draw.
Mikel Arteta’s side will welcome the Spanish giants to the Emirates Stadium, while they will also travel to Germany to face Bayern Munich.
The Gunners will complete their league-phase schedule against Borussia Dortmund, Real Betis, Lille, Napoli, Sabah FK and Slavia Prague.
Arsenal reached last season’s Champions League final before losing to PSG on penalties, and another meeting with one of Europe’s most successful clubs gives them an early opportunity to measure themselves against elite opposition.
Man City face PSG and Barcelona
Manchester City have arguably one of the most eye-catching schedules.
Pep Guardiola’s side will host reigning champions PSG at the Etihad Stadium and travel to Barcelona.
The Barcelona match will have added interest because of former City midfielder Rodri, who moved to the Catalan club during the summer.
City will also meet Napoli, meaning another familiar face could return to Manchester when Kevin De Bruyne’s new side visits the Etihad.
Sporting CP, Porto, RB Leipzig, AEK Athens and Lens complete City’s league-phase opponents
Liverpool handed Atletico and Inter
Liverpool will also have plenty to look forward to.
The Premier League champions will host Atletico Madrid, Porto, Villarreal and Lens, while their away fixtures include Inter Milan, Club Brugge, Fenerbahce and LASK.
The trip to Inter will be particularly demanding, while Atletico’s visit to Anfield adds another heavyweight contest to Liverpool’s schedule.
Barcelona face City, PSG and Villa
Barcelona’s draw is another that immediately catches the eye.
The Spanish giants will host Manchester City and Aston Villa, while travelling to PSG.
They will also face Sporting CP, Feyenoord, Galatasaray, Como and Sabah FK.
That means Barcelona will meet three English clubs during the league phase, including City and Europa League winners Aston Villa.
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Man Utd and Villa face big challenges
Manchester United are back in the Champions League after a two-year absence and have been handed a difficult return.
United will host Bayern Munich and Roma, while travelling to Atletico Madrid and Sporting CP.
Their other opponents are RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Sabah FK and Como.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, will make their return to Europe’s elite competition after winning the Europa League last season.
Unai Emery’s side will host PSG and Borussia Dortmund and travel to Barcelona and Galatasaray. Club Brugge, Fenerbahce, Viking and Slavia Prague complete their schedule.
Newcomers thrown into the deep end
The draw has also created some memorable first experiences for clubs entering the competition’s league phase.
Sabah FK of Azerbaijan will face Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund, giving them an immediate introduction to the biggest names in European football.
Como, making their first appearance in the Champions League league phase, will also face PSG, Barcelona and Manchester United.
Meanwhile, Slovan Bratislava booked their place in the league phase after beating Celje 2-1 after extra time on Wednesday to win their play-off 3-2 on aggregate.
The result was also significant for their manager Yaya Toure, who became the first African coach to lead a team into the Champions League league phase.
With the draw complete, the focus now shifts to the matches themselves.
The league phase begins on September 8, while the Champions League final will be played at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on June 5, 2027.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
