Bayern Munich, Dortmund, and Leipzig draw English opposition in Champions League league phase

German contenders learn league phase slate

The draw for the 36-team UEFA Champions League league phase took place on Thursday at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. Bayern Munich received home matches against English champions Arsenal, Real Betis, FK Bodo/Glimt, and Slavia Prague. The six-time European champions will travel away to face Atletico Madrid, Manchester United, OSC Lille, and Norwegian debutants Viking FK. Arsenal defeated Bayern 3:1 in the previous season's league phase fixture featuring Germany forward Kai Havertz. The away fixture in Madrid takes Bayern to the Estadio Metropolitano, the designated venue for the tournament final on 5 June 2027. Bayern manager Vincent Kompany confirmed the club's ambition for the European campaign during their pre-season tour in Asia.

Our goal is to win the Champions League. We want to win it, there is no doubt about that.

Difficult schedules for Dortmund and Leipzig

Borussia Dortmund faces demanding travel across the continent alongside high-profile fixtures. The 2024 finalists travel to London to meet Arsenal, visit Aston Villa and former Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka, and make long trips to FK Bodo/Glimt in Norway and debutants Sabah FK in Azerbaijan. At home, Dortmund hosts Italian champions Inter Milan, Real Betis, Villarreal, and AEK Athens. RB Leipzig returns to European competition following a one-year absence with away matches against Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid, Manchester United at Old Trafford, Feyenoord at De Kuip, and Italian newcomers Como 1907. At home, Leipzig hosts Manchester City, PSV Eindhoven, RC Lens under former assistant coach Dino Toppmoeller, and Shakhtar Donetsk.

The anticipation is huge. That was a year of hard work. We are extremely happy to be back on the European stage.

Stuttgart and LASK secure continental fixtures

VfB Stuttgart, who finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season, drew a balanced slate of eight opponents without facing titleholders Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid. Sebastian Hoeness's side will play away against Inter Milan, Club Brugge, Galatasaray, and OSC Lille. At home, Stuttgart welcomes Atletico Madrid, PSV Eindhoven, Slovan Bratislava, and Norwegian debutants Viking Stavanger. Stuttgart has never advanced past the round of 16 in the competition, having lost knockout ties to Chelsea in the 2003/04 season and Barcelona in 2009/10. Austrian double winners LASK enter their first Champions League campaign under coach Dietmar Kuehbauer with fixtures against Real Madrid, Liverpool, FC Porto, Sporting CP, Fenerbahce, Bodo/Glimt, Slovan Bratislava, and AEK Athens.

Tournament format and calendar

Each of the 36 participating clubs will play eight matches in the league phase, split evenly between four home games and four away fixtures. The top eight teams in the overall table advance directly to the round of 16, while teams finishing between 9th and 24th enter a two-legged playoff round to determine the remaining eight knockout spots. Teams finishing in 25th place and below are eliminated from European competition. Matchday 1 runs between 8 September and 10 September 2026. UEFA will publish the complete match schedule and calendar order by Saturday.