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Arsenal face a difficult path in the league stage of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League after being drawn against 15-time European champions Real Madrid, while Manchester City and Aston Villa face reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain.
The league stage calendar released by UEFA on Thursday produced several heavyweight matches, with some of Europe’s top clubs set to meet before the round of 16.
Arsenal faces Real, Bayern tries
Arsenal will host Real Madrid in one of the most anticipated matches of the league stage, setting up a meeting between two clubs with a strong history in European football.
The Gunners, who lost last season’s Champions League final to PSG on penalties, will also travel to Germany to face Bayern Munich and take on Borussia Dortmund as part of their schedule.
The other opponents are Real Betis, Lille, Napoli, Sabah and Slavia Prague.
Arsenal will hope to capitalize on their home advantage against Real Madrid while improving on last season’s campaign, which ended in defeat in the final.
City ready for PSG and Barcelona away games
Manchester City will welcome reigning champions PSG to the Etihad Stadium in another major European fixture.
City will also travel to Barcelona, where they are expected to face former midfielder Rodri following his move to the Spanish club during the summer transfer window.
Marqsca’s team will also face Napoli, Sporting Club, Porto, RB Leipzig, AEK Athens and Lens.
The clash with PSG could prove to be one of the most important events of the group stage, pitting two recent European champions against each other.
Villa return to elite competition
Aston Villa will return to the Champions League after a season on the road and will have a challenging schedule ahead of them.
Villa will host PSG and Borussia Dortmund, while they will be away to Barcelona and Galatasaray.
Villa will also face Club Brugge, Fenerbahce, Viking and Slavia Prague during the league phase.
The club will aim to make a strong impression upon returning to Europe’s top club competition.
Manchester United faces Bayern, Atletico
Manchester United will return to the Champions League after a two-year absence and will be drawn against Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid.
The Premier League giants will also face Roma, Sporting Club, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Sabah and Como.
The matches offer United the opportunity to measure themselves against established European opposition as they look to progress through the knockout stages.
Liverpool handed over the calendar to Atletico and Inter
Liverpool will host Atletico Madrid, Porto, Villarreal and Lens at Anfield, while traveling to Italy to face Inter Milan.
The Reds will also play away against Club Brugge, Fenerbahce and LASK.
Liverpool’s schedule combines key European fixtures with fixtures against teams they would need to beat if they are to secure a favorable position in the league table.
Champions League dates confirmed
The final phase of the 2026/27 Champions League will begin on 8 September 2026, while the final phase will be set for 27 January 2027.
The competition will then progress to the knockout stage, with clubs attempting to secure qualification from the league stage.
The Champions League final is scheduled for June 5, 2027 at the Metropolitan Stadium in Madrid.
With Arsenal facing Real Madrid and Manchester City and Aston Villa both drawn against PSG, the league stage will feature several high-profile fixtures from the early stages of the competition.
