The 2026-27 UEFA Champions League has begun, with the competition entering its second consecutive season under the expanded 36-team league-phase format and a schedule featuring a series of high-profile meetings between Europe’s leading clubs.
The opening league-phase round takes place on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, with the final round of matches scheduled for Wednesday, 27 January 2027. The knockout phase begins on 29 January, while the final will be played on 5 June at Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
Paris Saint-Germain are defending the trophy after winning the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history last season. Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter, Liverpool and Bayern Munich are among the clubs regarded as strong contenders to win the title, with experienced European coaches and squads containing a host of leading players.
The competition’s new format includes 36 teams in one league table rather than separate groups. The clubs are divided into four seeding pots, with each side drawn against two teams from every pot. Each team plays eight league-phase matches: four at home and four away.
The teams finishing from first to eighth qualify automatically for the last 16. Those placed ninth to 24th enter a two-legged play-off, with the eight winners joining the top eight in the round of 16. Teams finishing from 25th to 36th are eliminated and cannot drop into the UEFA Europa League.
From the last 16 onwards, the competition continues with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and a one-match final.
League-phase table
All 36 teams begin with zero matches played, zero points and a goal difference of zero:
1. AEK Athens; 2. Arsenal; 3. Roma; 4. Aston Villa; 5. Atletico de Madrid; 6. Bayern Munich; 7. Bodø/Glimt; 8. Borussia Dortmund; 9. Club Brugge; 10. Como; 11. Barcelona; 12. Porto; 13. Shakhtar Donetsk; 14. Fenerbahce; 15. Feyenoord; 16. Galatasaray; 17. Inter; 18. LASK; 19. Lille; 20. Liverpool; 21. Manchester City; 22. Manchester United; 23. Paris Saint-Germain; 24. PSV Eindhoven; 25. RB Leipzig; 26. Lens; 27. Real Betis; 28. Real Madrid; 29. Sabah; 30. Slovan Bratislava; 31. Slavia Prague; 32. Sporting CP; 33. Napoli; 34. Stuttgart; 35. Viking; 36. Villarreal.
Full league-phase schedule
Times are shown in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Tuesday, 8 September 2026: Club Brugge v Aston Villa, 19:45/20:45, Jan Breydel; AEK Athens v LASK, 19:45/20:45, Allwyn Arena; Real Madrid v Inter, 22:00/23:00, Santiago Bernabeu; Borussia Dortmund v Villarreal, 22:00/23:00, Signal Iduna Park; Porto v Manchester City, 22:00/23:00, Estadio do Dragao; Lille v Real Betis, 22:00/23:00, Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Wednesday, 9 September: Barcelona v Feyenoord, 19:45/20:45, Camp Nou; Stuttgart v Viking, 19:45/20:45, Mercedes-Benz Arena; Paris Saint-Germain v Slovan Bratislava, 22:00/23:00, Parc des Princes; Liverpool v Atletico de Madrid, 22:00/23:00, Anfield; Sporting CP v Galatasaray, 22:00/23:00, Jose Alvalade; Napoli v Arsenal, 22:00/23:00, Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Thursday, 10 September: PSV Eindhoven v Shakhtar Donetsk, 19:45/20:45, Philips Stadion; Fenerbahce v Roma, 19:45/20:45, Sukru Saracoglu Sports Complex; Bayern Munich v Bodø/Glimt, 22:00/23:00, Allianz Arena; Manchester United v Sabah, 22:00/23:00, Old Trafford; Slavia Prague v Lens, 22:00/23:00, Fortuna Arena; Como v RB Leipzig, 22:00/23:00, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.
Tuesday, 13 October: Lens v Sporting CP, 19:45/20:45, Stade Bollaert-Delelis; Sabah v Slavia Prague, 19:45/20:45, Bank Respublika Arena; Inter v Club Brugge, 22:00/23:00, San Siro; Arsenal v Lille, 22:00/23:00, Emirates Stadium; Atletico de Madrid v Manchester United, 22:00/23:00, Riyadh Air Metropolitano; RB Leipzig v PSV Eindhoven, 22:00/23:00, Red Bull Arena; Villarreal v Napoli, 22:00/23:00, Estadio de la Ceramica; Galatasaray v Barcelona, 22:00/23:00, Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex; Viking v Bayern Munich, 22:00/23:00, Lyse Arena.
Wednesday, 14 October: Feyenoord v Como, 19:45/20:45, De Kuip; LASK v Liverpool, 19:45/20:45, Raiffeisen Arena; Manchester City v Paris Saint-Germain, 22:00/23:00, Etihad Stadium; Roma v Real Madrid, 22:00/23:00, Stadio Olimpico; Aston Villa v Fenerbahce, 22:00/23:00, Villa Park; Real Betis v Porto, 22:00/23:00, La Cartuja; Bodø/Glimt v Borussia Dortmund, 22:00/23:00, Aspmyra Stadion; Shakhtar Donetsk v AEK Athens, 22:00/23:00, Stamford Bridge; Slovan Bratislava v Stuttgart, 22:00/23:00, National Football Stadium.
Tuesday, 20 October: Fenerbahce v Slavia Prague, 19:45/20:45, Sukru Saracoglu Sports Complex; Sabah v Borussia Dortmund, 19:45/20:45, Bank Respublika Arena; Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona, 22:00/23:00, Parc des Princes; Liverpool v Villarreal, 22:00/23:00, Anfield; Manchester City v AEK Athens, 22:00/23:00, Etihad Stadium; Roma v Slovan Bratislava, 22:00/23:00, Stadio Olimpico; Porto v PSV Eindhoven, 22:00/23:00, Estadio do Dragao; Napoli v Bodø/Glimt, 22:00/23:00, Stadio Diego Armando Maradona; Stuttgart v Atletico de Madrid, 22:00/23:00, Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Wednesday, 21 October: Lille v Galatasaray, 19:45/20:45, Stade Pierre-Mauroy; Como v Manchester United, 19:45/20:45, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia; Bayern Munich v Arsenal, 22:00/23:00, Allianz Arena; Real Madrid v RB Leipzig, 22:00/23:00, Santiago Bernabeu; Inter v Shakhtar Donetsk, 22:00/23:00, San Siro; Sporting CP v LASK, 22:00/23:00, Jose Alvalade; Aston Villa v Viking, 22:00/23:00, Villa Park; Club Brugge v Lens, 22:00/23:00, Jan Breydel; Real Betis v Feyenoord, 22:00/23:00, La Cartuja.
Tuesday, 3 November: Shakhtar Donetsk v Sporting CP, 20:45/21:45, Stamford Bridge; Galatasaray v Stuttgart, 20:45/21:45, Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex; Barcelona v Aston Villa, 23:00/00:00, Camp Nou; Atletico de Madrid v Bayern Munich, 23:00/00:00, Riyadh Air Metropolitano; Manchester United v Roma, 23:00/00:00, Old Trafford; Feyenoord v Inter, 23:00/00:00, De Kuip; Bodø/Glimt v Lille, 23:00/00:00, Aspmyra Stadion; Villarreal v Paris Saint-Germain, 23:00/00:00, Estadio de la Ceramica; LASK v Slovan Bratislava, 23:00/00:00, Raiffeisen Arena.
Wednesday, 4 November: Fenerbahce v Liverpool, 20:45/21:45, Sukru Saracoglu Sports Complex; AEK Athens v Real Madrid, 20:45/21:45, Allwyn Arena; Borussia Dortmund v Real Betis, 23:00/00:00, Signal Iduna Park; Porto v Napoli, 23:00/00:00, Estadio do Dragao; PSV Eindhoven v Club Brugge, 23:00/00:00, Philips Stadion; RB Leipzig v Manchester City, 23:00/00:00, Red Bull Arena; Slavia Prague v Arsenal, 23:00/00:00, Fortuna Arena; Lens v Como, 23:00/00:00, Stade Bollaert-Delelis; Viking v Sabah, 23:00/00:00, Lyse Arena.
Tuesday, 24 November: Bodø/Glimt v LASK, 20:45/21:45, Aspmyra Stadion; Galatasaray v Aston Villa, 20:45/21:45, Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex; Real Madrid v PSV Eindhoven, 23:00/00:00, Santiago Bernabeu; Manchester City v Napoli, 23:00/00:00, Etihad Stadium; Arsenal v Borussia Dortmund, 23:00/00:00, Emirates Stadium; Feyenoord v Porto, 23:00/00:00, De Kuip; RB Leipzig v Lens, 23:00/00:00, Red Bull Arena; Slovan Bratislava v Real Betis, 23:00/00:00, National Football Stadium; Como v AEK Athens, 23:00/00:00, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.
Wednesday, 25 November: Slavia Prague v Villarreal, 20:45/21:45, Fortuna Arena; Sabah v Barcelona, 20:45/21:45, Bank Respublika Arena; Paris Saint-Germain v Roma, 23:00/00:00, Parc des Princes; Inter v Stuttgart, 23:00/00:00, San Siro; Atletico de Madrid v Viking, 23:00/00:00, Riyadh Air Metropolitano; Sporting CP v Manchester United, 23:00/00:00, Jose Alvalade; Club Brugge v Liverpool, 23:00/00:00, Jan Breydel; Lille v Bayern Munich, 23:00/00:00, Stade Pierre-Mauroy; Shakhtar Donetsk v Fenerbahce, 23:00/00:00, Stamford Bridge.
Tuesday, 8 December: Villarreal v Sabah, 20:45/21:45, Estadio de la Ceramica; Viking v Feyenoord, 20:45/21:45, Lyse Arena; Bayern Munich v Slavia Prague, 23:00/00:00, Allianz Arena; Barcelona v Manchester City, 23:00/00:00, Camp Nou; Roma v Sporting CP, 23:00/00:00, Stadio Olimpico; Aston Villa v Paris Saint-Germain, 23:00/00:00, Villa Park; Manchester United v RB Leipzig, 23:00/00:00, Old Trafford; Napoli v Club Brugge, 23:00/00:00, Stadio Diego Armando Maradona; AEK Athens v Galatasaray, 23:00/00:00, Allwyn Arena.
Wednesday, 9 December: Real Betis v Como, 20:45/21:45, La Cartuja; Slovan Bratislava v Shakhtar Donetsk, 20:45/21:45, National Football Stadium; Liverpool v Porto, 23:00/00:00, Anfield; Arsenal v Real Madrid, 23:00/00:00, Emirates Stadium; Borussia Dortmund v Inter, 23:00/00:00, Signal Iduna Park; PSV Eindhoven v Atletico de Madrid, 23:00/00:00, Philips Stadion; Stuttgart v Lille, 23:00/00:00, Mercedes-Benz Arena; LASK v Fenerbahce, 23:00/00:00, Raiffeisen Arena; Lens v Bodø/Glimt, 23:00/00:00, Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
Tuesday, 19 January 2027: Bodø/Glimt v Atletico de Madrid, 20:45/21:45, Aspmyra Stadion; Galatasaray v Feyenoord, 20:45/21:45, Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex; Real Madrid v LASK, 23:00/00:00, Santiago Bernabeu; Inter v Liverpool, 23:00/00:00, San Siro; Aston Villa v Borussia Dortmund, 23:00/00:00, Villa Park; Porto v Slavia Prague, 23:00/00:00, Estadio do Dragao; Lille v Slovan Bratislava, 23:00/00:00, Stade Pierre-Mauroy; Stuttgart v Club Brugge, 23:00/00:00, Mercedes-Benz Arena; AEK Athens v Roma, 23:00/00:00, Allwyn Arena.
Wednesday, 20 January: Fenerbahce v Villarreal, 20:45/21:45, Sukru Saracoglu Sports Complex; Sabah v Napoli, 20:45/21:45, Bank Respublika Arena; Sporting CP v Barcelona, 23:00/00:00, Jose Alvalade; Manchester United v Bayern Munich, 23:00/00:00, Old Trafford; Real Betis v Arsenal, 23:00/00:00, La Cartuja; RB Leipzig v Shakhtar Donetsk, 23:00/00:00, Red Bull Arena; Como v Paris Saint-Germain, 23:00/00:00, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia; Lens v Manchester City, 23:00/00:00, Stade Bollaert-Delelis; Viking v PSV Eindhoven, 23:00/00:00, Lyse Arena.
Wednesday, 27 January: Paris Saint-Germain v Galatasaray, Bayern Munich v Real Betis, Liverpool v Lens, Manchester City v Sporting CP, Arsenal v Sabah, Barcelona v Como, Atletico de Madrid v Fenerbahce, Borussia Dortmund v AEK Athens, Roma v Lille, Club Brugge v Bodø/Glimt, PSV Eindhoven v Stuttgart, Feyenoord v RB Leipzig, Napoli v Viking, Villarreal v Manchester United, Shakhtar Donetsk v Real Madrid, Slavia Prague v Aston Villa, Slovan Bratislava v Inter and LASK v Porto. All matches begin at 23:00 Saudi time and 00:00 UAE time. The venues are, respectively: Parc des Princes, Allianz Arena, Anfield, Etihad Stadium, Emirates Stadium, Camp Nou, Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Signal Iduna Park, Stadio Olimpico, Jan Breydel, Philips Stadion, De Kuip, Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Estadio de la Ceramica, Stamford Bridge, Fortuna Arena, National Football Stadium and Raiffeisen Arena.
Broadcast information and competition finances
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The revised format increases the number of matches and participating clubs, strengthening the competition’s commercial value and increasing prize money during the 2024-27 three-year period. Overall, participating clubs are set to receive an additional €500m, taking total club earnings to €2.47bn from the 2024-25 edition.
The participation payment has also risen to €18.6m, up from €15.6m last season.
Real Madrid remain the competition’s most successful club, having won the trophy 15 times. They are also the only team to win three consecutive titles in the modern Champions League era, while in the former European Cup they secured the first five editions in succession. Paris Saint-Germain have won the past two editions consecutively.
