The road to European glory begins tomorrow, and Premier League clubs have discovered the opponents standing between them and the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League final.
European champions Paris St-Germain have been handed one of the toughest league-phase schedules, with Manchester City, Aston Villa and five-time winners Barcelona among their eight opponents.
The Champions League kicks off on Tuesday, 8 September, with 36 teams competing in the new-look league phase.
What Happened Last Season?
Arsenal topped last season's league-phase standings with 24 points after winning all eight of their matches.
Liverpool finished third with 18 points, behind second-placed Bayern Munich, while Tottenham were fourth with 17 points.
Chelsea and Manchester City also qualified directly for the last 16 after finishing sixth and eighth respectively.
Newcastle finished 12th and therefore had to go through the knockout play-offs.
However, Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle and Tottenham were all eliminated in the last 16, while Liverpool's run ended in the quarter-finals against PSG.
PSG eventually went all the way, beating Arsenal in the final to claim their second consecutive Champions League crown.
Now, with another season about to begin, the Premier League's five representatives know exactly what stands between them and another shot at European glory
How the Champions League League Phase Works
The 36 participating teams will each play eight different opponents, with four matches at home and four away.
The teams finishing in the top eight will automatically qualify for the last 16.
Those finishing between ninth and 24th will enter a two-legged knockout play-off, with the winners joining the top eight in the last 16.
Teams finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated completely and will not drop into the Europa League.
The first league-phase matches will be played on Tuesday, 8 September, while the final round of league-phase fixtures will take place on 27 January 2027.
The Champions League final will then be staged in Madrid on 5 June 2027.
PSG Draw Manchester City and Aston Villa
The back-to-back Champions League winners will face Premier League heavyweights Manchester City and Aston Villa, as well as Barcelona.
PSG will travel to the Etihad Stadium to face City and Villa Park to meet Aston Villa, while Barcelona will visit the Parc des Princes.
Luis Enrique's side will enter the competition as the team to beat after winning the Champions League for a second consecutive season, having defeated Arsenal in last season's final.
Arsenal Face Real Madrid and Bayern Munich
Premier League champions, Arsenal have also been handed a daunting schedule.
Mikel Arteta's side will host 15-time European champions Real Madrid at Emirates Stadium and travel to Germany to face Bayern Munich.
The Gunners, who were beaten by PSG on penalties in the final last season, will also face
- Borussia Dortmund,
- Real Betis,
- Lille,
- Napoli,
- Azerbaijan champions, Sabah and
- Slavia Prague.
Arsenal will therefore have to navigate a schedule packed with European heavyweights if they are to make another deep run in the competition.
Manchester City Set for Rodri and De Bruyne Reunions
Manchester City will welcome PSG to the Etihad and travel to Barcelona, where they will come up against former midfielder Rodri.
The Spanish World Cup winner moved to Barcelona in a £65m deal this summer, setting up an intriguing reunion with Enzo Maresca's side.
City will also face another familiar face when Napoli visit Manchester, with former midfielder Kevin de Bruyne now playing for the Italian club.
- Sporting Club,
- Porto,
- RB Leipzig,
- AEK Athens and
- Lens
complete City's league-phase schedule.
Aston Villa Return With PSG and Barcelona Tests
Aston Villa are back in the Champions League after spending a season away from Europe's elite competition.
Europa League winners Villa will host PSG and Borussia Dortmund, while Unai Emery's side will travel to Barcelona and Galatasaray.
Their other opponents are
- Club Brugge,
- Fenerbahce,
- Viking and
- Slavia Prague.
Villa's return therefore comes with two heavyweight fixtures against PSG and Barcelona, as Emery looks to build on the club's recent success in Europe.
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