The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league-phase draw has produced several blockbuster encounters, with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain handed a particularly difficult route to defending their title.

The draw, held in Monaco on Thursday, paired PSG with Barcelona and Manchester City, while also giving the French champions meetings with Roma, Aston Villa, Galatasaray, Villarreal, Slovan Bratislava and Como.

Last season’s runners-up Arsenal will face holders Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, as well as Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Lille, Real Betis, Slavia Prague and Sabah. Real Madrid will also meet Inter Milan and PSV, alongside their other fixtures.

Manchester City have also been handed a challenging schedule, with Barcelona and PSG among their opponents, while Manchester United, returning to the competition after a two-year absence, will face Bayern Munich and Roma, among others. Liverpool will play Atlético Madrid and Inter Milan in two of their headline fixtures.

The league phase features 36 teams, with each club playing eight matches against eight different opponents—four at home and four away. The top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16, while those finishing ninth to 24th enter a knockout play-off for the remaining eight places.

The league phase begins on September 8, 2026, and runs until January 27, 2027. The final is scheduled for June 5, 2027, at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.

With PSG facing both Barcelona and Manchester City, Arsenal drawn against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, and Atlético Madrid paired with Bayern, Liverpool and Manchester United, the new Champions League season is already set for a series of high-profile clashes.