The road to the 2027 UEFA Champions League final is officially underway after Thursday’s league-phase draw in Monaco produced several blockbuster matchups involving Europe’s biggest clubs.
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were handed one of the most demanding schedules, with major clashes against Barcelona and Manchester City among their headline fixtures. PSG will also face Roma, Aston Villa, Galatasaray, Villarreal, Slovan Bratislava and Como.
Arsenal, last season’s runners-up, also received a difficult draw. The Gunners will take on Spanish giants Real Madrid and German powerhouse Bayern Munich, while their schedule also includes Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Lille, Sabah, Slavia Prague and Real Betis.
Manchester City were given another challenging route, drawing both Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona in two of the standout fixtures of the league phase. The draw ensures supporters will see several of European football’s biggest stars facing one another early in the competition.
Manchester United’s return to the Champions League also produced some major ties. United will face Bayern Munich, Roma and RB Leipzig, while Atlético Madrid and Sporting are among their away opponents.
Liverpool arguably emerged with a more favourable draw compared with several of their Premier League rivals, although matches against Atlético Madrid and Inter Milan will provide major tests.
Aston Villa face a difficult schedule that includes Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund, setting up another demanding European campaign for the club.
Real Madrid will meet Arsenal and Inter Milan in two of the biggest fixtures of the league phase, while Bayern Munich face a challenging slate featuring Arsenal, Atlético Madrid and Manchester United.
The 2026-27 competition continues under UEFA’s 36-team league-phase format. Every club will play eight matches against different opponents, with the top eight teams in the overall standings advancing directly to the Round of 16. Teams finishing ninth through 24th will enter the knockout-phase playoffs.
The league phase begins on September 8 and runs through January 27, before the knockout stages begin in February. The Champions League final will take place on June 5, 2027, at Atlético Madrid’s Estadio Metropolitano.
The biggest draw headlines include PSG vs. Barcelona, Manchester City vs. PSG, Arsenal vs. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich vs. Manchester United and Liverpool vs. Atlético Madrid — setting the stage for another spectacular Champions League season.
