Champions League 2026-27: PSG title defence starts as Europe’s biggest clubs learn their league-phase schedules

Paris Saint-Germain begin their Champions League title defence in the 2026-27 competition, with the second edition under the expanded league-phase format featuring 36 teams and a series of high-profile matches from the opening weeks.

The tournament begins on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, and the league phase concludes on Wednesday, 27 January 2027. The knockout rounds start on 29 January, with the final scheduled for 5 June at Riyadh Air Metropolitano.

Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time in their history last season and have retained their status among the leading contenders. Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter, Liverpool and Bayern Munich are also expected to challenge strongly, with experienced European coaches and squads containing several of the continent’s leading players.

The 36 clubs are divided into four seeding pots. Each team is drawn against two opponents from each pot, playing one match at home and one away.

The top eight teams in the league phase qualify directly for the last 16. Teams finishing ninth to 24th enter a two-leg play-off, with the eight winners joining the top eight in the knockout stage. The remaining clubs are eliminated and cannot move into the Europa League.

The competition then follows its traditional format, with the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals played before a one-match final.

League phase standings

All teams begin with zero points and no matches played:

1. AEK Athens; 2. Arsenal; 3. Roma; 4. Aston Villa; 5. Atletico Madrid; 6. Bayern Munich; 7. Bodø/Glimt; 8. Dortmund; 9. Club Brugge; 10. Como; 11. Barcelona; 12. Porto; 13. Shakhtar; 14. Fenerbahce; 15. Feyenoord; 16. Galatasaray; 17. Inter; 18. LASK; 19. Lille; 20. Liverpool; 21. Manchester City; 22. Manchester United; 23. Paris Saint-Germain; 24. PSV Eindhoven; 25. RB Leipzig; 26. Lens; 27. Real Betis; 28. Real Madrid; 29. Sabah; 30. Slovan Bratislava; 31. Slavia Prague; 32. Sporting CP; 33. Napoli; 34. Stuttgart; 35. Viking; 36. Villarreal.

Match schedule

All times are listed in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Tuesday, 8 September 2026: Club Brugge v Aston Villa, 19:45 Saudi Arabia/20:45 UAE, Jan Breydel; AEK Athens v LASK, 19:45/20:45, AEK Arena; Real Madrid v Inter, 22:00/23:00, Santiago Bernabeu; Dortmund v Villarreal, 22:00/23:00, Signal Iduna Park; Porto v Manchester City, 22:00/23:00, Estadio do Dragao; Lille v Real Betis, 22:00/23:00, Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Wednesday, 9 September: Barcelona v Feyenoord, 19:45/20:45, Camp Nou; Stuttgart v Viking, 19:45/20:45, Mercedes-Benz Arena; Paris Saint-Germain v Slovan Bratislava, 22:00/23:00, Parc des Princes; Liverpool v Atletico Madrid, 22:00/23:00, Anfield; Sporting CP v Galatasaray, 22:00/23:00, Jose Alvalade; Napoli v Arsenal, 22:00/23:00, Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Thursday, 10 September: PSV Eindhoven v Shakhtar, 19:45/20:45, Philips Stadion; Fenerbahce v Roma, 19:45/20:45, Sukru Saracoglu Sports Complex; Bayern Munich v Bodø/Glimt, 22:00/23:00, Allianz Arena; Manchester United v Sabah, 22:00/23:00, Old Trafford; Slavia Prague v Lens, 22:00/23:00, Eden Arena; Como v RB Leipzig, 22:00/23:00, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.

Tuesday, 13 October: Lens v Sporting CP, 19:45/20:45, Stade Bollaert-Delelis; Sabah v Slavia Prague, 19:45/20:45, Bank Respublika Arena; Inter v Club Brugge, 22:00/23:00, San Siro; Arsenal v Lille, 22:00/23:00, Emirates Stadium; Atletico Madrid v Manchester United, 22:00/23:00, Riyadh Air Metropolitano; RB Leipzig v PSV Eindhoven, 22:00/23:00, Red Bull Arena; Villarreal v Napoli, 22:00/23:00, Estadio de la Ceramica; Galatasaray v Barcelona, 22:00/23:00, Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex; Viking v Bayern Munich, 22:00/23:00, Lyse Arena.

Wednesday, 14 October: Feyenoord v Como, 19:45/20:45, De Kuip; LASK v Liverpool, 19:45/20:45, Raiffeisen Arena; Manchester City v Paris Saint-Germain, 22:00/23:00, Etihad Stadium; Roma v Real Madrid, 22:00/23:00, Stadio Olimpico; Aston Villa v Fenerbahce, 22:00/23:00, Villa Park; Real Betis v Porto, 22:00/23:00, La Cartuja; Bodø/Glimt v Dortmund, 22:00/23:00, Aspmyra Stadion; Shakhtar v AEK Athens, 22:00/23:00, Stamford Bridge; Slovan Bratislava v Stuttgart, 22:00/23:00, National Football Stadium.

Tuesday, 20 October: Fenerbahce v Slavia Prague, 19:45/20:45, Sukru Saracoglu Sports Complex; Sabah v Dortmund, 19:45/20:45, Bank Respublika Arena; Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona, 22:00/23:00, Parc des Princes; Liverpool v Villarreal, 22:00/23:00, Anfield; Manchester City v AEK Athens, 22:00/23:00, Etihad Stadium; Roma v Slovan Bratislava, 22:00/23:00, Stadio Olimpico; Porto v PSV Eindhoven, 22:00/23:00, Estadio do Dragao; Napoli v Bodø/Glimt, 22:00/23:00, Stadio Diego Armando Maradona; Stuttgart v Atletico Madrid, 22:00/23:00, Mercedes-Benz Arena.

Wednesday, 21 October: Lille v Galatasaray, 19:45/20:45, Stade Pierre-Mauroy; Como v Manchester United, 19:45/20:45, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia; Bayern Munich v Arsenal, 22:00/23:00, Allianz Arena; Real Madrid v RB Leipzig, 22:00/23:00, Santiago Bernabeu; Inter v Shakhtar, 22:00/23:00, San Siro; Sporting CP v LASK, 22:00/23:00, Jose Alvalade; Aston Villa v Viking, 22:00/23:00, Villa Park; Club Brugge v Lens, 22:00/23:00, Jan Breydel; Real Betis v Feyenoord, 22:00/23:00, La Cartuja.

Tuesday, 3 November: Shakhtar v Sporting CP, 20:45/21:45, Stamford Bridge; Galatasaray v Stuttgart, 20:45/21:45, Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex; Barcelona v Aston Villa, 23:00/00:00, Camp Nou; Atletico Madrid v Bayern Munich, 23:00/00:00, Riyadh Air Metropolitano; Manchester United v Roma, 23:00/00:00, Old Trafford; Feyenoord v Inter, 23:00/00:00, De Kuip; Bodø/Glimt v Lille, 23:00/00:00, Aspmyra Stadion; Villarreal v Paris Saint-Germain, 23:00/00:00, Estadio de la Ceramica; LASK v Slovan Bratislava, 23:00/00:00, Raiffeisen Arena.

Wednesday, 4 November: Fenerbahce v Liverpool, 20:45/21:45, Sukru Saracoglu Sports Complex; AEK Athens v Real Madrid, 20:45/21:45, AEK Arena; Dortmund v Real Betis, 23:00/00:00, Signal Iduna Park; Porto v Napoli, 23:00/00:00, Estadio do Dragao; PSV Eindhoven v Club Brugge, 23:00/00:00, Philips Stadion; RB Leipzig v Manchester City, 23:00/00:00, Red Bull Arena; Slavia Prague v Arsenal, 23:00/00:00, Eden Arena; Lens v Como, 23:00/00:00, Stade Bollaert-Delelis; Viking v Sabah, 23:00/00:00, Lyse Arena.

Tuesday, 24 November: Bodø/Glimt v LASK, 20:45/21:45, Aspmyra Stadion; Galatasaray v Aston Villa, 20:45/21:45, Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex; Real Madrid v PSV Eindhoven, 23:00/00:00, Santiago Bernabeu; Manchester City v Napoli, 23:00/00:00, Etihad Stadium; Arsenal v Dortmund, 23:00/00:00, Emirates Stadium; Feyenoord v Porto, 23:00/00:00, De Kuip; RB Leipzig v Lens, 23:00/00:00, Red Bull Arena; Slovan Bratislava v Real Betis, 23:00/00:00, National Football Stadium; Como v AEK Athens, 23:00/00:00, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.

Wednesday, 25 November: Slavia Prague v Villarreal, 20:45/21:45, Eden Arena; Sabah v Barcelona, 20:45/21:45, Bank Respublika Arena; Paris Saint-Germain v Roma, 23:00/00:00, Parc des Princes; Inter v Stuttgart, 23:00/00:00, San Siro; Atletico Madrid v Viking, 23:00/00:00, Riyadh Air Metropolitano; Sporting CP v Manchester United, 23:00/00:00, Jose Alvalade; Club Brugge v Liverpool, 23:00/00:00, Jan Breydel; Lille v Bayern Munich, 23:00/00:00, Stade Pierre-Mauroy; Shakhtar v Fenerbahce, 23:00/00:00, Stamford Bridge.

Tuesday, 8 December: Villarreal v Sabah, 20:45/21:45, Estadio de la Ceramica; Viking v Feyenoord, 20:45/21:45, Lyse Arena; Bayern Munich v Slavia Prague, 23:00/00:00, Allianz Arena; Barcelona v Manchester City, 23:00/00:00, Camp Nou; Roma v Sporting CP, 23:00/00:00, Stadio Olimpico; Aston Villa v Paris Saint-Germain, 23:00/00:00, Villa Park; Manchester United v RB Leipzig, 23:00/00:00, Old Trafford; Napoli v Club Brugge, 23:00/00:00, Stadio Diego Armando Maradona; AEK Athens v Galatasaray, 23:00/00:00, AEK Arena.

Wednesday, 9 December: Real Betis v Como, 20:45/21:45, La Cartuja; Slovan Bratislava v Shakhtar, 20:45/21:45, National Football Stadium; Liverpool v Porto, 23:00/00:00, Anfield; Arsenal v Real Madrid, 23:00/00:00, Emirates Stadium; Dortmund v Inter, 23:00/00:00, Signal Iduna Park; PSV Eindhoven v Atletico Madrid, 23:00/00:00, Philips Stadion; Stuttgart v Lille, 23:00/00:00, Mercedes-Benz Arena; LASK v Fenerbahce, 23:00/00:00, Raiffeisen Arena; Lens v Bodø/Glimt, 23:00/00:00, Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

Tuesday, 19 January 2027: Bodø/Glimt v Atletico Madrid, 20:45/21:45, Aspmyra Stadion; Galatasaray v Feyenoord, 20:45/21:45, Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex; Real Madrid v LASK, 23:00/00:00, Santiago Bernabeu; Inter v Liverpool, 23:00/00:00, San Siro; Aston Villa v Dortmund, 23:00/00:00, Villa Park; Porto v Slavia Prague, 23:00/00:00, Estadio do Dragao; Lille v Slovan Bratislava, 23:00/00:00, Stade Pierre-Mauroy; Stuttgart v Club Brugge, 23:00/00:00, Mercedes-Benz Arena; AEK Athens v Roma, 23:00/00:00, AEK Arena.

Wednesday, 20 January: Fenerbahce v Villarreal, 20:45/21:45, Sukru Saracoglu Sports Complex; Sabah v Napoli, 20:45/21:45, Bank Respublika Arena; Sporting CP v Barcelona, 23:00/00:00, Jose Alvalade; Manchester United v Bayern Munich, 23:00/00:00, Old Trafford; Real Betis v Arsenal, 23:00/00:00, La Cartuja; RB Leipzig v Shakhtar, 23:00/00:00, Red Bull Arena; Como v Paris Saint-Germain, 23:00/00:00, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia; Lens v Manchester City, 23:00/00:00, Stade Bollaert-Delelis; Viking v PSV Eindhoven, 23:00/00:00, Lyse Arena.

Wednesday, 27 January: Paris Saint-Germain v Galatasaray, 23:00/00:00, Parc des Princes; Bayern Munich v Real Betis, 23:00/00:00, Allianz Arena; Liverpool v Lens, 23:00/00:00, Anfield; Manchester City v Sporting CP, 23:00/00:00, Etihad Stadium; Arsenal v Sabah, 23:00/00:00, Emirates Stadium; Barcelona v Como, 23:00/00:00, Camp Nou; Atletico Madrid v Fenerbahce, 23:00/00:00, Riyadh Air Metropolitano; Dortmund v AEK Athens, 23:00/00:00, Signal Iduna Park; Roma v Lille, 23:00/00:00, Stadio Olimpico; Club Brugge v Bodø/Glimt, 23:00/00:00, Jan Breydel; PSV Eindhoven v Stuttgart, 23:00/00:00, Philips Stadion; Feyenoord v RB Leipzig, 23:00/00:00, De Kuip; Napoli v Viking, 23:00/00:00, Stadio Diego Armando Maradona; Villarreal v Manchester United, 23:00/00:00, Estadio de la Ceramica; Shakhtar v Real Madrid, 23:00/00:00, Stamford Bridge; Slavia Prague v Aston Villa, 23:00/00:00, Eden Arena; Slovan Bratislava v Inter, 23:00/00:00, National Football Stadium; LASK v Porto, 23:00/00:00, Raiffeisen Arena.

Broadcast details and competition finances

beIN Sports holds exclusive rights to show every Champions League match in the Middle East. Online coverage is available through the TOD TV application and beIN CONNECT.

The expanded format increases the number of teams and matches, strengthening the competition’s commercial value and raising prize money across the three-year period from 2024 to 2027.

Overall, participating clubs are set to receive an additional €500m, taking total club revenues to €2.47bn from the 2024-25 edition. The participation payment has also risen from €15.6m last season to €18.6m.

Real Madrid remain the competition’s most successful club, having won the trophy 15 times. They are the only team to win the Champions League three years in succession under its modern format and also claimed the first five editions of the old European Cup consecutively.

Paris Saint-Germain have won the past two editions.