The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League league phase is set to commence with a highly anticipated clash: reigning champions Chelsea will face Bayern Munich. This opening week promises more excitement, including a significant reunion as Kevin De Bruyne`s team plays his former club, Manchester City, at the Etihad Stadium.
Defending titleholders Paris Saint-Germain will kick off their campaign against Atalanta, a compelling rematch of the 2020 Champions League quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Liverpool, widely regarded as a strong contender for the trophy, will begin their eight-match schedule at home against Atletico Madrid.
PSG`s challenging league phase itinerary could culminate in a dramatic encounter at the Parc des Princes, where the Qatari-backed club will meet Newcastle United, supported by Saudi Arabia`s sovereign wealth fund. The decisive final round of fixtures will feature all 36 participating teams playing concurrently, with key qualification battles expected in matches like Borussia Dortmund vs. Inter Milan, Napoli vs. Chelsea, and Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Tottenham.
Leading up to the January 28 matches, several other significant fixtures and emotional reunions are planned. Notably, Trent Alexander-Arnold is slated to return to Anfield as a Real Madrid player on November 4. Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso’s team is scheduled for a trip to Kazakhstan to play Kairat Almaty on September 30, just two days after their away game against Atletico Madrid; this particular match might be subject to rescheduling. Perhaps the most anticipated game of the league phase, PSG’s visit to Barcelona, is scheduled for October 1. This fixture is part of what appears to be a demanding start for Hansi Flick`s team, which also includes away encounters against Newcastle United and Chelsea within their initial five games.
From the 36 teams competing in the league phase, the top 24 will advance to the knockout stages. Teams finishing in the top eight will secure automatic qualification for the Champions League Round of 16, while the remaining teams (ranked 9th to 24th) will participate in playoffs to earn their place.
UEFA Champions League Fixtures
Matchday 1
Tuesday, Sept. 16
- Athletic Club vs Arsenal FC, 12:45 p.m. ET
- PSV Eindhoven vs R. Union Saint-Gilloise, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Juventus vs Borussia Dortmund, 3 p.m. ET
- Real Madrid C.F. vs Olympique de Marseille, 3 p.m. ET
- SL Benfica vs Qarabağ FK, 3 p.m. ET
- Tottenham Hotspur vs Villarreal CF, 3 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Sept. 17
- Olympiacos FC vs Pafos FC, 12:45 p.m. ET
- SK Slavia Praha vs FK Bodø/Glimt, 12:45 p.m. ET
- AFC Ajax vs FC Internazionale Milano, 3 p.m. ET
- FC Bayern München vs Chelsea FC, 3 p.m. ET
- Liverpool FC vs Atlético de Madrid, 3 p.m. ET
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Atalanta BC, 3 p.m. ET
Thursday, Sept. 18
- Club Brugge KV vs AS Monaco, 12:45 p.m. ET
- F.C. Copenhagen vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs Galatasaray A.Ş., 3 p.m. ET
- Manchester City vs SSC Napoli, 3 p.m. ET
- Newcastle United FC vs FC Barcelona, 3 p.m. ET
- Sporting CP vs FC Kairat Almaty, 3 p.m. ET
Matchday 2
Tuesday, Sept. 30
- Atalanta BC vs Club Brugge KV, 12:45 p.m. ET
- FC Kairat Almaty vs Real Madrid C.F., 12:45 p.m. ET
- Atlético de Madrid vs Eintracht Frankfurt, 3 p.m. ET
- Chelsea FC vs SL Benfica, 3 p.m. ET
- FC Internazionale Milano vs SK Slavia Praha, 3 p.m. ET
- FK Bodø/Glimt vs Tottenham Hotspur, 3 p.m. ET
- Galatasaray A.Ş. vs Liverpool FC, 3 p.m. ET
- Olympique de Marseille vs AFC Ajax, 3 p.m. ET
- Pafos FC vs FC Bayern München, 3 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Oct. 1
- Qarabağ FK vs F.C. Copenhagen, 12:45 p.m. ET
- R. Union Saint-Gilloise vs Newcastle United FC, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Arsenal FC vs Olympiacos FC, 3 p.m. ET
- AS Monaco vs Manchester City, 3 p.m. ET
- Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs PSV Eindhoven, 3 p.m. ET
- Borussia Dortmund vs Athletic Club, 3 p.m. ET
- FC Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. ET
- SSC Napoli vs Sporting CP, 3 p.m. ET
- Villarreal CF vs Juventus, 3 p.m. ET
Matchday 3
Tuesday, Oct. 21
- FC Barcelona vs Olympiacos FC, 12:45 p.m. ET
- FC Kairat Almaty vs Pafos FC, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Arsenal FC vs Atlético de Madrid, 3 p.m. ET
- Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. ET
- F.C. Copenhagen vs Borussia Dortmund, 3 p.m. ET
- Newcastle United FC vs SL Benfica, 3 p.m. ET
- PSV Eindhoven vs SSC Napoli, 3 p.m. ET
- R. Union Saint-Gilloise vs FC Internazionale Milano, 3 p.m. ET
- Villarreal CF vs Manchester City, 3 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Oct. 22
- Athletic Club vs Qarabağ FK, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Galatasaray A.Ş. vs FK Bodø/Glimt, 12:45 p.m. ET
- AS Monaco vs Tottenham Hotspur, 3 p.m. ET
- Atalanta BC vs SK Slavia Praha, 3 p.m. ET
- Chelsea FC vs AFC Ajax, 3 p.m. ET
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs Liverpool FC, 3 p.m. ET
- FC Bayern München vs Club Brugge KV, 3 p.m. ET
- Real Madrid C.F. vs Juventus, 3 p.m. ET
- Sporting CP vs Olympique de Marseille, 3 p.m. ET
Matchday 4
Tuesday, Nov. 4
- SK Slavia Praha vs Arsenal FC, 12:45 p.m. ET
- SSC Napoli vs Eintracht Frankfurt, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Atlético de Madrid vs R. Union Saint-Gilloise, 3 p.m. ET
- FK Bodø/Glimt vs AS Monaco, 3 p.m. ET
- Juventus vs Sporting CP, 3 p.m. ET
- Liverpool FC vs Real Madrid C.F., 3 p.m. ET
- Olympiacos FC vs PSV Eindhoven, 3 p.m. ET
- Paris Saint-Germain vs FC Bayern München, 3 p.m. ET
- Tottenham Hotspur vs F.C. Copenhagen, 3 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Nov. 5
- Pafos FC vs Villarreal CF, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Qarabağ FK vs Chelsea FC, 12:45 p.m. ET
- AFC Ajax vs Galatasaray A.Ş., 3 p.m. ET
- Club Brugge KV vs FC Barcelona, 3 p.m. ET
- FC Internazionale Milano vs FC Kairat Almaty, 3 p.m. ET
- Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund, 3 p.m. ET
- Newcastle United FC vs Athletic Club, 3 p.m. ET
- Olympique de Marseille vs Atalanta BC, 3 p.m. ET
- SL Benfica vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen, 3 p.m. ET
Matchday 5
Tuesday, Nov. 25
- AFC Ajax vs SL Benfica, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Galatasaray A.Ş. vs R. Union Saint-Gilloise, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal CF, 3 p.m. ET
- Chelsea FC vs FC Barcelona, 3 p.m. ET
- FK Bodø/Glimt vs Juventus, 3 p.m. ET
- Manchester City vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen, 3 p.m. ET
- Olympique de Marseille vs Newcastle United FC, 3 p.m. ET
- SK Slavia Praha vs Athletic Club, 3 p.m. ET
- SSC Napoli vs Qarabağ FK, 3 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Nov. 26
- F.C. Copenhagen vs FC Kairat Almaty, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Pafos FC vs AS Monaco, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Arsenal FC vs FC Bayern München, 3 p.m. ET
- Atlético de Madrid vs FC Internazionale Milano, 3 p.m. ET
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs Atalanta BC, 3 p.m. ET
- Liverpool FC vs PSV Eindhoven, 3 p.m. ET
- Olympiacos FC vs Real Madrid C.F., 3 p.m. ET
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Tottenham Hotspur, 3 p.m. ET
- Sporting CP vs Club Brugge KV, 3 p.m. ET
Matchday 6
Tuesday, Dec. 9
- FC Kairat Almaty vs Olympiacos FC, 10:30 a.m. ET
- FC Bayern München vs Sporting CP, 12:45 p.m. ET
- AS Monaco vs Galatasaray A.Ş., 3 p.m. ET
- Atalanta BC vs Chelsea FC, 3 p.m. ET
- FC Barcelona vs Eintracht Frankfurt, 3 p.m. ET
- FC Internazionale Milano vs Liverpool FC, 3 p.m. ET
- PSV Eindhoven vs Atlético de Madrid, 3 p.m. ET
- R. Union Saint-Gilloise vs Olympique de Marseille, 3 p.m. ET
- Tottenham Hotspur vs SK Slavia Praha, 3 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Dec. 10
- Qarabağ FK vs AFC Ajax, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Villarreal CF vs F.C. Copenhagen, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Athletic Club vs Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. ET
- Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Newcastle United FC, 3 p.m. ET
- Borussia Dortmund vs FK Bodø/Glimt, 3 p.m. ET
- Club Brugge KV vs Arsenal FC, 3 p.m. ET
- Juventus vs Pafos FC, 3 p.m. ET
- Real Madrid C.F. vs Manchester City, 3 p.m. ET
- SL Benfica vs SSC Napoli, 3 p.m. ET
Matchday 7
Tuesday, Jan. 20
- FC Kairat Almaty vs Club Brugge KV, 10:30 a.m. ET
- FK Bodø/Glimt vs Manchester City, 12:45 p.m. ET
- F.C. Copenhagen vs SSC Napoli, 3 p.m. ET
- FC Internazionale Milano vs Arsenal FC, 3 p.m. ET
- Olympiacos FC vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen, 3 p.m. ET
- Real Madrid C.F. vs AS Monaco, 3 p.m. ET
- Sporting CP vs Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. ET
- Tottenham Hotspur vs Borussia Dortmund, 3 p.m. ET
- Villarreal CF vs AFC Ajax, 3 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Jan. 21
- Galatasaray A.Ş. vs Atlético de Madrid, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Qarabağ FK vs Eintracht Frankfurt, 12:45 p.m. ET
- Atalanta BC vs Athletic Club, 3 p.m. ET
- Chelsea FC vs Pafos FC, 3 p.m. ET
- FC Bayern München vs R. Union Saint-Gilloise, 3 p.m. ET
- Juventus vs SL Benfica, 3 p.m. ET
- Newcastle United FC vs PSV Eindhoven, 3 p.m. ET
- Olympique de Marseille vs Liverpool FC, 3 p.m. ET
- SK Slavia Praha vs FC Barcelona, 3 p.m. ET
Matchday 8
Tuesday, Jan. 28
- AFC Ajax vs Olympiacos FC, 3 p.m. ET
- Arsenal FC vs FC Kairat Almaty, 3 p.m. ET
- AS Monaco vs Juventus, 3 p.m. ET
- Athletic Club vs Sporting CP, 3 p.m. ET
- Atlético de Madrid vs FK Bodø/Glimt, 3 p.m. ET
- Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Villarreal CF, 3 p.m. ET
- Borussia Dortmund vs FC Internazionale Milano, 3 p.m. ET
- Club Brugge KV vs Olympique de Marseille, 3 p.m. ET
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs Tottenham Hotspur, 3 p.m. ET
- FC Barcelona vs F.C. Copenhagen, 3 p.m. ET
- Liverpool FC vs Qarabağ FK, 3 p.m. ET
- Manchester City vs Galatasaray A.Ş., 3 p.m. ET
- Pafos FC vs SK Slavia Praha, 3 p.m. ET
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Newcastle United FC, 3 p.m. ET
- PSV Eindhoven vs FC Bayern München, 3 p.m. ET
- R. Union Saint-Gilloise vs Atalanta BC, 3 p.m. ET
- SL Benfica vs Real Madrid C.F., 3 p.m. ET
- SSC Napoli vs Chelsea FC, 3 p.m. ET
Remaining Dates for the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League
- Knockout Phase Playoffs Draw: Jan. 30, 2026
- Knockout Phase Playoffs: Feb. 17–18 & Feb. 24–25, 2026
- Rest of Knockout Draw: Feb. 27, 2026
- Round of 16: March 10–11 & March 17–18, 2026
- Quarterfinals: April 7–8 & April 14–15, 2026
- Semifinals: April 28–29 & May 5–6, 2026
- Final: May 30, 2026 (Budapest)
