The UEFA Champions League 2026/27 is ready for another exciting European club football season, with 36 teams competing in the league phase for a place in the knockout rounds.
The new Champions League season officially began in July with the qualifying rounds, while the league phase gets underway on September 8, 2026. The competition will continue through the knockout stages before the final takes place in Madrid in June 2027.
UEFA Champions League 2026/27 Format
The 2026/27 season is the third Champions League campaign to use the 36-team league phase format.
Each team plays eight matches against eight different opponents, with four games at home and four away. After the league phase, the teams are ranked in a single table.
The league phase consists of eight matchdays, beginning on September 8 and concluding on January 27, 2027.
Champions League 2026/27 Teams
The 36 teams competing in the league phase include some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Among the English representatives are Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United. Spain is represented by Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Real Betis, Real Madrid and Villarreal.
Other notable teams include Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Inter, Napoli, Roma, Paris Saint-Germain, Porto, Sporting CP, PSV Eindhoven and Galatasaray.
Matchday 1 Fixtures
The first league-phase matchday takes place from September 8 to September 10, 2026.
Tuesday, September 8
- AEK Athens vs LASK
- Club Brugge vs Aston Villa
- Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal
- Porto vs Manchester City
- Lille vs Real Betis
- Real Madrid vs Inter
Wednesday, September 9
- Barcelona vs Feyenoord
- Stuttgart vs Viking
- Liverpool vs Atlético Madrid
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Slovan Bratislava
- Sporting CP vs Galatasaray
- Napoli vs Arsenal
Thursday, September 10
- Fenerbahçe vs Roma
- PSV Eindhoven vs Shakhtar Donetsk
- Como vs Leipzig
- Bayern Munich vs Bodø/Glimt
- Manchester United vs Sabah
- Slavia Prague vs Lens
UEFA has confirmed that most matches are scheduled for 21:00 CET, with selected fixtures beginning at 18:45 CET.
Champions League League Phase Dates
The eight league-phase matchdays are scheduled as follows:
- Matchday 1: September 8–10, 2026
- Matchday 2: October 13–14, 2026
- Matchday 3: October 20–21, 2026
- Matchday 4: November 3–4, 2026
- Matchday 5: November 24–25, 2026
- Matchday 6: December 8–9, 2026
- Matchday 7: January 19–20, 2027
- Matchday 8: January 27, 2027
After the league phase, the knockout phase play-offs are scheduled for February 2027, followed by the Round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals.
Champions League 2027 Final
The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League final will be played on Saturday, June 5, 2027.
The final will take place at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, home of Atlético Madrid.
Follow the Champions League
The Champions League remains one of the biggest competitions in European football, bringing together elite clubs from across the continent.
With 36 teams competing in the league phase and eight matches for every club before the knockout stage, the 2026/27 season promises plenty of important fixtures throughout the campaign.
Check back regularly for Champions League fixtures, match schedules, results and the latest football news.