Why Arsenal cannot face Inter Milan away in 2026/27 Champions League
By Joel Masibo, August 26, 2026Arsenal’s preparations for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase draw have been given an interesting twist by a little-known UEFA regulation that will determine where some potential fixtures can be played.
The Gunners are among the nine clubs in Pot 1 and will discover their eight league-phase opponents when the draw takes place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Thursday, August 27, 2026. UEFA has confirmed that the draw will begin at 18:00 pm CET.
One of the restrictions already affecting Arsenal concerns a possible meeting with Inter Milan. The two sides can be drawn together again, but Arsenal cannot be sent to San Siro for a third consecutive Champions League league-phase meeting with Inter.
Why Arsenal cannot play away at Inter Milan
The restriction comes from an additional condition approved by the UEFA Club Competitions Committee for the 2026/27 Champions League draw.
Under the condition, the same fixture cannot be repeated in the same competition with the same club playing at home for three consecutive seasons. In other words, if two clubs have met in the league phase in successive campaigns with the same side hosting both matches, that home arrangement cannot happen for a third straight season.
The rule does not completely prevent Arsenal and Inter from being drawn against one another. Instead, it removes one particular possibility: Inter hosting Arsenal in Milan.
That means the Gunners could still face the Italian giants in the 2026/27 league phase, but the fixture would have to be played at Arsenal’s home ground.
Arsenal’s two recent trips to San Siro
Arsenal’s situation is a direct consequence of their meetings with Inter during the previous two Champions League league phases.
The Gunners travelled to San Siro in November 2024 and suffered a 1-0 defeat against the Nerazzurri. They returned to the same venue in January 2026 and produced a much better result, securing a 3-1 victory.
With Inter having hosted Arsenal in both of those encounters, UEFA’s new draw condition prevents a third successive league-phase fixture between the clubs from taking place in Milan.
What the rule means for Arsenal’s Pot 1 draw
UEFA’s league-phase system requires every club to face two opponents from each of the four pots, with one home and one away fixture against opponents from each pot. Clubs from the same national association cannot normally be drawn together.
Arsenal are therefore unable to face fellow English clubs Manchester City and Liverpool in the league phase.
Inter, however, are a possible opponent because they are also in Pot 1. The difference is that Arsenal cannot be allocated an away fixture at San Siro against Simone Inzaghi’s side.
As a result, if Arsenal are paired with Inter, the match must take place at the Emirates Stadium.
Five possible away opponents from Pot 1
The restriction also has an important consequence for Arsenal’s away fixture against a Pot 1 opponent.
With Inter unable to host Arsenal, the Gunners’ possible away opponents from the top-seeded group are Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona or Atletico Madrid.
Therefore, Arsenal are guaranteed to have one particularly demanding Pot 1 trip from that group if the draw follows the expected allocation.
The five clubs represent some of Europe’s biggest names, meaning Arsenal could be handed a major European test even before considering their six other league-phase opponents.
Why UEFA introduced the restriction
The measure is designed to prevent the new league-phase format from producing the same high-profile fixture at the same venue season after season.
Unlike the old group-stage system, the current Champions League format gives clubs eight different opponents in the league phase, with four matches at home and four away. UEFA’s draw system must also account for country restrictions and other constraints to ensure that the entire fixture list can be completed.
The same principle is also relevant to Liverpool and Real Madrid. Liverpool have hosted the Spanish giants at Anfield in the league phase in each of the last two seasons, meaning Real Madrid cannot be drawn to visit Anfield for a third consecutive league-phase campaign. However, Liverpool could still travel to Madrid if the two clubs are paired again.
Arsenal still have plenty of potential European challenges
The rule does not significantly reduce the overall quality of Arsenal’s possible opponents.
The Gunners could still be paired with Inter at home while facing one of Europe’s other elite clubs away. PSG, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid all remain possible destinations for Arsenal’s Pot 1 away fixture.
The 2026/27 Champions League will again feature a 36-team league phase. Each club will play eight different opponents, four at home and four away. The top eight teams will advance directly to the round of 16, while teams finishing ninth to 24th will enter the knockout-phase play-offs.
For Arsenal, therefore, the UEFA regulation has already removed one potential away trip from their Champions League itinerary. Should Inter emerge from the draw as one of their opponents, the meeting will instead take place in north London.
The full set of Arsenal’s eight opponents, including the remaining home-and-away assignments, will be determined during Thursday’s league-phase draw. UEFA says the complete fixture list, including dates and kick-off times, will be communicated no later than Saturday, August 29.