UEFA Champions League draw: Which Premier League club got the hardest draw

By , August 28, 2026

The UEFA Champions League 2026–27 league-phase draw set up several blockbuster matches following its conclusion in Monaco on Thursday, August 27, 2026.

All 36 participating clubs discovered their eight opponents for the newly formatted league phase.

UEFA’s protection rule—preventing teams from facing the same opponent in the league phase for three consecutive seasons—proved beneficial for select English sides.

For instance, Liverpool avoided a home fixture against Real Madrid after hosting the Spanish giants in previous campaigns, while Arsenal avoided an away trip to Inter Milan after visiting San Siro in back-to-back seasons.

Arsenal kick off their campaign against Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid before tackling back-to-back German tests: a trip to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, followed by a home clash against Borussia Dortmund, who defeated the Gunners in the 2026 Emirates Cup.

Key fixtures against Napoli and Lille are also on the Gunners’ roster.

Borrussia
Borrussia Dortmund’s Konstantinos Karetsas celebrate his goal against Arsenal. PHOTO/https://web.facebook.com/BVB

Manchester City and Aston Villa face arguably the most daunting schedules. City manager Enzo Maresca has his work cut out with consecutive blockbusters against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and back-to-back La Liga winners Barcelona.

UEFA fixtures
Some of the UEFA Champions League fixtures for Arsenal, Liverpool, and Man CityPHOTO/https://www.premierleague.com/

The Citizens also face tough tests against Portuguese heavyweights Sporting CP and FC Porto, alongside fixtures against Napoli and RB Leipzig.

Manchester United mark their return to Europe’s elite competition under Michael Carrick.

Manchester United players gather for a team talk in their previous fixture against Hull City on Saturday, August 22, 2026. PHOTO/https://www.facebook.com/manchesterunited/photos
Manchester United players gather for a team talk in their previous fixture against Hull City on Saturday, August 22, 2026. PHOTO/https://www.facebook.com/manchesterunited

The Red Devils host Bayern Munich at Old Trafford in a repeat of the iconic 1999 final and travel to face Atlético Madrid, a team they defeated 2-0 during preseason. United will also travel to Spain to face Villarreal—revisiting their past Europa League final rivalry—while hosting Cesc Fàbregas’s FC Como and newcomers, Sabah FC.

Liverpool received perhaps the most favourable path among the Premier League contingent. Their sternest test is a trip to San Siro against Inter Milan, setting up a reunion with former teammate Curtis Jones, who recently joined the Italian champions alongside John Stones and Djed Spence.

How the league format works

  • Matches: Each team plays eight total fixtures (four home, four away), facing two opponents from each of the four seeded pots.
  • Direct Qualification: The top eight teams in the 36-team standings at the end of the league phase in January automatically advance to the Round of 16.
  • Playoff Round: Teams ranked 9th through 24th compete in a two-legged playoff to secure the remaining eight knockout spots.
  • Elimination: Teams finishing 25th or lower are completely eliminated from European competition, with no crossover into the UEFA Europa League.

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