Champions League draw! Arsenal face Real Madrid & Bayern as Man City land PSG

Arsenal have been handed a formidable path in the Champions League league phase following the official draw on Thursday. Mikel Arteta's side, who were finalists in last season's competition before losing to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties, must now navigate a schedule that includes home games against 15-time winners Real Madrid and Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich away from home.

In addition to hosting 15-time winners Real Madrid, the North London side will also face Borussia Dortmund, Lille, and Azerbaijani side Sabah at the Emirates Stadium. Arteta's side face a challenging travel schedule elsewhere, with away trips to Bayern Munich, Napoli, Real Betis, and Slavia Prague rounding out their league phase fixtures.

Under new manager Enzo Maresca, Manchester City are aiming to re-establish themselves on the European stage following disappointing campaigns in the past two seasons, which saw them exit in the round of 16 last season and the knockout phase play-offs in 2024-25. City have been drawn to host Paris Saint-Germain in what promises to be one of the highlights of the new league phase. Maresca's side will also welcome Sporting CP, Napoli, and AEK Athens to the Etihad Stadium, alongside away trips to face Barcelona at the Camp Nou, RB Leipzig, Lens, and Porto.

Aston Villa are returning to the Champions League for the first time since their impressive run in the 2024-25 season, when they reached the quarter-finals. Unai Emery's side are set for a high-profile reunion with Paris Saint-Germain at Villa Park in a repeat of the recent UEFA Super Cup, where the French side secured a narrow 2-1 victory in Salzburg thanks to a winner from Desire Doue. Beyond the marquee home tie against PSG, Villa will also host Borussia Dortmund, Fenerbahce, and Viking at Villa Park, while facing demanding away trips against Barcelona, Club Brugge, Galatasaray, and Slavia Prague.

Liverpool, six-time European champions, face a difficult set of fixtures as they return to Europe's top table after being knocked out in the quarter-finals by Paris Saint-Germain last season. The Reds are scheduled to travel to the San Siro for a heavyweight encounter with Inter Milan, while Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid will visit Merseyside. Andoni Iraola's side will also host FC Porto, Villarreal, and Lens at Anfield, alongside away trips to face Club Brugge, Fenerbahce, and Austrian side LASK.

Manchester United, three-time European champions, are returning to the Champions League for the first time since the 2023-24 season, when they were eliminated in the group stage under the competition's previous format. Michael Carrick's side will host Bayern Munich and Roma at Old Trafford in two of the most anticipated matches of the opening phase, while also travelling to face Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital. United's European campaign further features home ties against RB Leipzig and Azerbaijani side Sabah, alongside away trips to face Sporting CP, Villarreal, and Italian side Como.

The 2026-27 edition of the Champions League is notable for the inclusion of four debutants. Italy's Como, Austria's LASK, Norway's Viking, and Azerbaijan's Sabah are all set for their first-ever appearances in the competition proper. History will also be made in the dugout, as former Manchester City legend Yaya Toure becomes the first African coach to lead a team into the main draw after taking charge of Slovakian side Slovan Bratislava.

The action is set to begin on September 8-10, with the first six matchdays running through until December. Following a brief winter break, the league phase will conclude with two final rounds in January, ending on January 27. The top eight teams progress directly to the last 16, while those finishing 9th to 24th must enter a two-legged play-off.