Sophia
The stage is set, the draws are made, and the quest to dethrone Paris Saint-Germain as Europe’s reigning champions has officially begun! UEFA has unveiled the full schedule for the 2025-26 Champions League league phase, promising a thrilling campaign packed with heavyweight clashes, intriguing matchups, and plenty of drama.
Clubs from across the continent are gearing up for battle, with every point vital in the expanded format. Let’s dive into the key fixtures and what lies ahead for Europe’s elite.
Premier League Giants Face Formidable Challenges
England’s top clubs are well-represented and face a gauntlet of challenging fixtures as they look to assert their dominance.
Arsenal’s European Gauntlet
Arsenal kicks off their campaign with an away trip to Athletic Club, a challenging start before welcoming Olympiacos and Atlético Madrid to the Emirates Stadium. Tough tests against perennial contenders Bayern Munich and Inter Milan loom, but Gunners fans will be relieved by a seemingly kinder end to the league phase against Kairat Almaty. This blend of European giants and lesser-known quantities will truly test Mikel Arteta’s squad depth and tactical prowess.
Chelsea’s Baptism of Fire
For Chelsea, the league phase begins with a daunting away fixture at German champions Bayern Munich. Stamford Bridge will then host Benfica, Ajax, and Barcelona, setting up what could be a tense finale on the road against Napoli. Mauricio Pochettino’s side will need to be at their best from the off to navigate this challenging schedule and secure a strong position for the knockout stages.
Manchester City’s Path to Glory
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City begins their journey against Napoli. One of the most anticipated clashes of this stage will see City travel to face 14-time champions Real Madrid on Matchday Six – a fixture that could have significant implications for group standings and seedings. This early test against a direct rival for the trophy will be a true measure of City’s ambitions.
Liverpool’s European Odyssey
Liverpool, another formidable English threat, faces their own set of demanding fixtures. Arne Slot’s tenure begins with a clash against Atlético Madrid, followed by a Matchday Six encounter with Inter Milan. However, the Reds will be confident of closing out the phase with a home win against Qarabağ. A crucial home tie against Real Madrid at Anfield in November, five weeks before City’s trip to the Bernabeu, will be a highlight for fans.
Continental Heavyweights Set for Showdowns
Beyond the Premier League, several other high-profile matchups promise fireworks.
Barcelona’s Gruelling Schedule
Barcelona’s meeting with Newcastle United is among the star fixtures of Matchday One, but things don’t get easier for Hansi Flick’s side. They face defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and a crucial Matchday Five encounter against Chelsea, highlighting a truly challenging group for the Catalan giants. Their ability to navigate this gauntlet will be key to their European aspirations.
Real Madrid’s Title Defense
Real Madrid, always a contender, faces both Manchester City and Liverpool in what promises to be two of the most electrifying games of the league phase. Their journey concludes with an away fixture at Benfica, a match that could still hold significant weight depending on prior results.
Full League Phase Fixture List
Here’s a comprehensive look at all eight matchdays:
Matchday One
September 16
- Athletic Club vs. Arsenal
- PSV Eindhoven vs. Union SG
- Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund
- Real Madrid vs. Marseille
- Benfica vs. Qarabağ
- Tottenham vs. Villarreal
September 17
- Olympiacos vs. Pafos
- Slavia Praha vs. Bodø/Glimt
- Ajax vs. Inter
- Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea
- Liverpool vs. Atlético Madrid
- PSG vs. Atalanta
September 18
- Club Brugge vs. Monaco
- Copenhagen vs. Bayer Leverkusen
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Galatasaray
- Man City vs. Napoli
- Newcastle vs. Barcelona
- Sporting CP vs. Kairat Almaty
Matchday Two
September 30
- Atalanta vs. Club Brugge
- Kairat Almaty vs. Real Madrid
- Atlético Madrid vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
- Chelsea vs. Benfica
- Inter vs. Slavia Praha
- Bodø/Glimt vs. Tottenham
- Galatasaray vs. Liverpool
- Marseille vs. Ajax
- Pafos vs. Bayern Munich
October 1
- Qarabağ vs. Copenhagen
- Union SG vs. Newcastle
- Arsenal vs. Olympiacos
- Monaco vs. Man City
- Bayer Leverkusen vs. PSV Eindhoven
- Barcelona vs. PSG
- Napoli vs. Sporting CP
- Villarreal vs. Juventus
- Borussia Dortmund vs. Athletic Club
Matchday Three
October 21
- Barcelona vs. Olympiacos
- Kairat Almaty vs. Pafos
- Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid
- Bayer Leverkusen vs. PSG
- Copenhagen vs. Borussia Dortmund
- Newcastle vs. Benfica
- PSV Eindhoven vs. Napoli
- Union SG vs. Inter
- Villarreal vs. Man City
October 22
- Athletic Club vs. Qarabağ
- Galatasaray vs. Bodø/Glimt
- Monaco vs. Tottenham
- Atalanta vs. Slavia Praha
- Chelsea vs. Ajax
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Liverpool
- Bayern Munich vs. Club Brugge
- Real Madrid vs. Juventus
- Sporting CP vs. Marseille
Matchday Four
November 4
- Slavia Praha vs. Arsenal
- Napoli vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
- Atlético Madrid vs. Union SG
- Bodø/Glimt vs. Monaco
- Juventus vs. Sporting CP
- Liverpool vs. Real Madrid
- Olympiacos vs. PSV Eindhoven
- PSG vs. Bayern Munich
- Tottenham vs. Copenhagen
November 5
- Pafos vs. Villarreal
- Qarabağ vs. Chelsea
- Ajax vs. Galatasaray
- Club Brugge vs. Barcelona
- Inter vs. Kairat Almaty
- Man City vs. Borussia Dortmund
- Newcastle vs. Athletic Club
- Marseille vs. Atalanta
- Benfica vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Matchday Five
November 25
- Ajax vs. Benfica
- Galatasaray vs. Union SG
- Borussia Dortmund vs. Villarreal
- Chelsea vs. Barcelona
- Bodø/Glimt vs. Juventus
- Man City vs. Bayer Leverkusen
- Marseille vs. Newcastle
- Slavia Praha vs. Athletic Club
- Napoli vs. Qarabağ
November 26
- Copenhagen vs. Kairat Almaty
- Pafos vs. Monaco
- Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich
- Atlético Madrid vs. Inter
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Atalanta
- Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven
- Olympiacos vs. Real Madrid
- PSG vs. Tottenham
- Sporting CP vs. Club Brugge
Matchday Six
December 9
- Kairat Almaty vs. Olympiacos
- Bayern Munich vs. Sporting CP
- Monaco vs. Galatasaray
- Atalanta vs. Chelsea
- Barcelona vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
- Inter vs. Liverpool
- PSV Eindhoven vs. Atlético Madrid
- Union SG vs. Marseille
- Tottenham vs. Slavia Praha
December 10
- Qarabağ vs. Ajax
- Villarreal vs. Copenhagen
- Athletic Club vs. PSG
- Bayer Leverkusen vs. Newcastle
- Borussia Dortmund vs. Bodø/Glimt
- Club Brugge vs. Arsenal
- Juventus vs. Pafos
- Real Madrid vs. Man City
- Benfica vs. Napoli
Matchday Seven
January 20
- Kairat Almaty vs. Club Brugge
- Bodø/Glimt vs. Man City
- Copenhagen vs. Napoli
- Inter vs. Arsenal
- Olympiacos vs. Bayer Leverkusen
- Real Madrid vs. Monaco
- Sporting CP vs. PSG
- Tottenham vs. Borussia Dortmund
- Villarreal vs. Ajax
January 21
- Galatasaray vs. Atlético Madrid
- Qarabağ vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
- Atalanta vs. Athletic Club
- Chelsea vs. Pafos
- Bayern Munich vs. Union SG
- Juventus vs. Benfica
- Newcastle vs. PSV Eindhoven
- Marseille vs. Liverpool
- Slavia Praha vs. Barcelona
Matchday Eight
January 28
- Ajax vs. Olympiacos
- Arsenal vs. Kairat Almaty
- Monaco vs. Juventus
- Athletic Club vs. Sporting CP
- Atlético Madrid vs. Bodø/Glimt
- Bayer Leverkusen vs. Villarreal
- Borussia Dortmund vs. Inter
- Club Brugge vs. Marseille
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Tottenham
January 28
- Barcelona vs. Copenhagen
- Liverpool vs. Qarabağ
- Man City vs. Galatasaray
- Pafos vs. Slavia Praha
- PSG vs. Newcastle
- PSV Eindhoven vs. Bayern Munich
- Union SG vs. Atalanta
- Benfica vs. Real Madrid
- Napoli vs. Chelsea
The Road to the Final
With the new league phase format, every match carries significant weight. Teams will battle for position in the single league table, with the top eight advancing directly to the round of 16, and teams ranked 9th to 24th entering a playoff round. This innovative structure ensures a captivating competition from start to finish.
The 2025-26 Champions League promises to be an unforgettable season, filled with spectacular goals, tactical masterclasses, and nail-biting finishes. Football fans worldwide can look forward to a feast of top-tier European action.
For more details on the Champions League and its new format, visit the official UEFA Champions League website.
Tom Gott is a writer, reporter, and editor for Sports Illustrated FC. A lifelong Chelsea fan and academy football enthusiast, he spends far too much time on Football Manager.
