Champions League 2025/26: Highlights from the league phase draw | OneFootball

Thursday afternoon saw the second ever draw of the Champions League’s league phase, which replaced the old group stage last season: and it has produced some absolutely spectacular fixtures.

The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League league phase will feature 36 teams, each playing eight matches against eight different opponents: four at home, four away. The top 24 teams will advance to the knockout phase, with the top eight going directly to the round of 16, and the following 16 facing one another in a play-off tie.

Here are some of the fixtures to watch in the opening stage of Europe’s elite club competition, with fixture dates to be announced on Saturday August 30th.

Chelsea

Chelsea welcome Barcelona, Benfica, Ajax, and Pafos to Stamford Bridge, with away trips to Bayern Munich, Atalanta, Napoli, and Qarabağ.

Manchester City

Manchester City will face Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli and Galatasaray at the Etihad Stadium, meaning Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sané will return to their former side in this season’s Champions League league phase.

They will also take two trips to Spain, facing Real Madrid in a familiar contest along with Villarreal. City’s remaining matches see them visit Bodø/Glimt and Monaco.

Liverpool

From pot one, Liverpool will face Real Madrid at home and last season’s runners-up Inter at San Siro. They then host Like their city rivals, Atlético Madrid will also travel to Anfield, and both PSV Eindhoven and Qarabağ will do the same.

On the road, The Reds will face Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille and Galatasaray.

Paris Saint-Germain

Perhaps the toughest test for reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain among a slew of tricky opening fixtures will be their home tie against Bayern Munich – but an away game against Barcelona won’t be much easier. Atalanta, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United will all also travel to the Parc des Princes.

PSG’s remaining matches see them visit Bayer Leverkusen, Sporting CP and Athletic Club away from home.

Arsenal

Arsenal will aim to banish the demons of their infamous 2017 defeat to Bayern Munich when they welcome Die Roten to the Emirates Stadium, and they’ll also face Inter away from home.

They will host Atlético Madrid, Olympiacos and Kairat Almaty too, while their away trips take them to Club Brugge, Slavia Praha, and Athletic Club.

Tottenham Hotspur

A replay of the UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain is the highlight of a fixture list which will also see Spurs host Borussia Dortmund.

They’ll welcome Villarreal and Slavia Praha and Copenhagen to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium alongside Dortmund, while away trips take them to Eintracht Frankfurt, Bodø/Glimt, and Monaco.

Newcastle United

There’s European royalty to face for the Toon Army. Trips to Paris, Leverkusen and Marseille are highlights, but little could top Barcelona coming to St. James’ Park.

They also host Benfica, PSV Eindhoven and Athletic Club, along with an away match against Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium.

Pafos FC

Debutants Pafos FC have a particularly interesting set of fixtures ahead, in which the key opponents they will have to take on will be Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Chelsea.

All three teams are widely renowned as Europe’s elite, which could make for a very interesting underdog story should Pafos pull off an upset.

While the order of fixtures and dates have not yet been revealed by UEFA, all 36 sides now know who their toughest opponents will be. You can keep up with all the league phase action in the Champions League at FromTheSpot.