The draw for the Champions League has been completed with Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa all learning their opponents
The draw for the opening stage of the Champions League has been completed with Arsenal taking on Real Madrid and Manchester United travelling to Bayern Munich.
The 36 teams in Europe’s elite competition learned their fate on Thursday afternoon in Monaco, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa representing the Premier League in the 2026/27 edition.
All 36 teams were put into four different pots, according to their five-year UEFA. Each of those teams was represented by a physical ball, and when that ball was drawn, a computer assigned them opponents for their eight matches – two from each pot.
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However, national regulations meant teams cannot compete against another side from the same country during the league phase, and they can only face a maximum of two teams from one country.
The full fixtures and dates will be released by UEFA by Saturday, with the matchdays spread out across September 8, 9, 10, October 13 and 14, October 20 and 21, November 3 and 4, November 24 and 25, December 8 and 9, January 19 and 20 and January 27.
Atletico Madrid’s Estadio Metropolitano will host the final on Saturday, June 5.
Premier League club’s draws
Manchester United: Bayern Munich (H), Atletico Madrid (A), Roma (H), Sporting CP (A), RB Leipzig (H), Villarreal (A), Sabah (H), Como (A)
Liverpool: Atletico Madrid (H), Inter (A), Porto (H), Club Brugge (A), Villarreal (H), Fenerbahce (A), Lens (H), Lask (A)
Arsenal: Real Madrid (H), Bayern Munich (A), Borussia Dortmund (H), Real Betis (A), Lille (H), Napoli (A), Sabah (H), Slavia Prague (A).
Manchester City: PSG (H), Barcelona (A), Sporting CP (H), Porto (A), Napoli (H), RB Leipzig (A), AEK Athens (H), Lens (A)
Aston Villa: Real Madrid (H), Bayern Munich (A), Borussia Dortmund (H), Real Betis (A), Lille (H), Napoli (A), Sabah (H), Slavia Prague (A).
Matchday fixture dates
Gameweek 1: September 8, 9, 10
Gameweek 2: October 13 and 14
Gameweek 3: October 20 and 21
Gameweek 4: November 3 and 4
Gameweek 5: November 24 and 25
Gameweek 6: December 8 and 9
Gameweek 7: January 19 and 20
Gameweek 8: January 27