The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League league-phase draw has delivered heavyweight clashes for England’s representatives, with Liverpool and Manchester City set to face Real Madrid, while Chelsea meet Barcelona and Arsenal take on Bayern Munich.
The draw also pits Tottenham and Newcastle against reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, setting up a daunting challenge for the Premier League sides.
All six English clubs will play eight league-phase matches – four home and four away – between September 2025 and January 2026.
English Clubs’ Fixtures
Chelsea: Barcelona (H), Bayern Munich (A), Benfica (H), Atalanta (A), Ajax (H), Napoli (A), Pafos (H), Qarabağ (A).
Liverpool: Real Madrid (H), Inter Milan (A), Atlético Madrid (A), Eintracht Frankfurt (A), PSV (H), Marseille (A), Qarabağ (H), Galatasaray (A).
Manchester City: Borussia Dortmund (H), Real Madrid (A), Bayer Leverkusen (H), Villarreal (A), Napoli (H), Bodø/Glimt (A), Galatasaray (H), Monaco (A).
Arsenal: Bayern Munich (H), Inter Milan (A), Atlético Madrid (H), Club Brugge (A), Olympiacos (H), Slavia Praha (A), Kairat Almaty (H), Athletic Club (A).
Tottenham: Borussia Dortmund (H), PSG (A), Villarreal (H), Eintracht Frankfurt (A), Slavia Praha (H), Bodø/Glimt (A), Copenhagen (H), Monaco (A).
Newcastle: Barcelona (H), PSG (A), Benfica (H), Bayer Leverkusen (A), PSV (H), Marseille (A), Athletic Club (H), Union SG (A).
How the New Format Works
The league phase, introduced in 2024/25, has replaced the traditional group stage. Each team faces eight different opponents – two from each of Pots 1, 2, 3 and 4 – with four matches at home and four away.
The top eight finishers in the league table qualify directly for the round of 16, teams finishing 9th–24th enter a two-legged play-off for a place in the last 16, while clubs in 25th or lower are eliminated outright and no longer drop into the Europa League.
Key Dates
League phase matchdays: MD1: Sept 16–18 MD2: Sept 30–Oct 1, MD3: Oct 21–22, MD4: Nov 4–5, MD5: Nov 25–26, MD6: Dec 9–10, MD7: Jan 20–21, MD8: Jan 28, Knockout phase: Play-off draw: Jan 30, 2026, Play-offs: Feb 17/18 & 24/25 Round of 16: Mar 10/11 & 17/18, Quarter-finals: Apr 7/8 & 14/15, Semi-finals: Apr 28/29 & May 5/6, Final: May 30, 2026 at the Puskás Aréna, Budapest Hungary.