SSC Napoli vs Arsenal: Match details
SSC Napoli and Arsenal will kick-off on 9 September 2026 at 19:00 GMT (3:00 PM EST / 20:00 BST / 21:00 SAST).
European blockbuster under the Naples lights
SSC Napoli return home to host English giants Arsenal at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona to open their UEFA Champions League league phase campaign. Coming off a heartbreaking domestic defeat over the weekend, the Partenopei aim to use their passionate home crowd to reset and secure vital early points. For Arsenal, traveling to Italy with a perfect league record behind them offers a golden opportunity to assert themselves as group contenders from the first whistle.
Getty ImagesThe Partenopei's late drama at San Siro
SSC Napoli enter Wednesday night looking to fix defensive cracks after suffering a dramatic 3–2 defeat away to Inter Milan in Serie A on Matchday 3 (September 5). After a scoreless first half, Matteo Politano and Rasmus Højlund scored early in the second half to hand Napoli a commanding 2–0 lead. However, Inter responded with three unanswered goals - capped by a 90th-minute winner from Lautaro Martínez - leaving Massimiliano Allegri's side empty-handed and hungry to regain structural composure.
Getty ImagesHavertz & Ødegaard lead The Gunners' Derby comeback
Arsenal travel to Naples riding maximum momentum after grinding out a thrilling 2–1 victory over London rivals Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Matchday 3 (September 6). Conceding in the second minute, Mikel Arteta's side rallied as Kai Havertz equalised before captain Martin Ødegaard netted the game-winner shortly after halftime. The win extends Arsenal's perfect domestic start to three consecutive victories, displaying the steel and tactical maturity needed for tough European nights.
Stadio Diego Armando Maradona stakes: High-pressure European test
Clashes between these two sides feature contrasting tactical philosophies, with Napoli's direct counter-attacking setups challenging Arsenal's methodical possession control. The physical duel between Rasmus Højlund and Gabriel Magalhães will be a primary focal point, while Arsenal's midfield duo of Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard look to dictate the tempo against Stanislav Lobotka. With fine margins determining progress in the expanded Champions League format, Wednesday's showdown promises intense drama from kickoff.
Team news & squads
SSC Napoli vs Arsenal Probable lineups
Manager
- M. Allegri
Massimiliano Allegri takes charge of Napoli for this fixture, though no confirmed injury or suspension information is available at this stage, and no probable lineup has been released. Updates will be added closer to kick-off as the club provides official squad news.
Mikel Arteta names his Arsenal side with similarly limited confirmed information currently available. No injuries or suspensions have been officially listed, and no projected XI has been released. Further team news is expected ahead of the match.
Form
Napoli go into this fixture with a W-W-D-W-L record across their last five outings, though two of those wins came in pre-season friendlies. Their most recent result was a 1-2 home loss to Como in Serie A on August 30, a defeat that followed a positive 2-0 away win at Genoa the previous week. Across the five matches, Napoli scored 12 goals and conceded seven, with the 6-2 pre-season win over Aris Thessaloniki the standout result in terms of attacking output.
Arsenal arrive with five wins from five across all competitions. Their most recent result was a 1-0 victory at Aston Villa in the Premier League on August 31, and they have not dropped a point since the season began. The Gunners scored 10 goals across those five matches and conceded just one, keeping a strong defensive record throughout. Back-to-back clean sheets in competitive football underline the solidity Arteta has built at the back.
Head-to-Head Record
Head to Head
The most recent meeting between these sides came in the Europa League on April 18, 2019, when Arsenal won 1-0 at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium to seal their progression. Arsenal won both legs of that tie, having beaten Napoli 2-0 at the Emirates a week earlier. The two clubs also met in the Champions League group stage in 2013, with both home sides winning their respective fixtures 2-0. Across the five recorded meetings, each side has claimed two victories with one match ending in a draw.
Standings
| # | P | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | PTS | Form | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
