UEFA Champions League: Kickoff dates & times for matchday 1 revealed
By Luke Oluoch, August 29, 2026Following the conclusion of the fixtures draw for the league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League on Thursday, August 27, 2026, the focus has shifted to the start of the competition.
The opening matches will be played on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, with the initial stage running through to the final round of league-phase games on Wednesday, January 27, 2027.
Greek top-flight side AEK Athens will officially kick off the 2026/27 campaign when they host LASK in the opening match. The tie is scheduled for 7:45 pm.
Premier League outfits Manchester City and Aston Villa will also be in action on opening day. Enzo Maresca’s side will travel to Portuguese champions Porto, while Villa heads to Belgium to face Cercle Brugge.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will start their campaign away to Napoli on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. The Gunners will then host Lille on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, for their second fixture, with upcoming league phase ties also scheduled against Borussia Dortmund, Real Betis, Azerbaijan champions Sabah, and Slavia Prague.
Real Madrid hosting Inter Milan stands out as one of the marquee Matchday 1 fixtures. José Mourinho will face his former side at the Santiago Bernabéu on his return to Europe’s elite competition on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Meanwhile, Manchester United will mark their return to the European stage with a home clash against Azerbaijan’s new kids on the block, Sabah FK, on Thursday, September 10, 2026. The Minnows club will be marking their first appearance in the Champions League after ending FC Qarabag’s dominance at the domestic front.
The Red Devils host Bayern Munich at Old Trafford in a repeat of the iconic 1999 final and also travel to face Atlético Madrid, a team they defeated 2-0 during preseason.
Matchday 1 schedule (kick-off time 10:00 pm unless indicated)
Tuesday, September 8, 2026
- AEK Athens vs LASK (7:45 pm)
- Club Brugge vs Aston Villa (7:45 pm)
- Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal
- Porto vs Manchester City
- Lille vs Real Betis
- Real Madrid vs Inter Milan
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
- Barcelona vs Feyenoord (7:45 pm)
- VfB Stuttgart vs Viking (7:45 pm)
- Liverpool vs Atlético de Madrid
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Slovan Bratislava
- Sporting CP vs Galatasaray
- Napoli vs Arsenal