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UEFA Champions League 2026-27 Schedule: Dates, Fixtures, and Key Matchups
Amir Azimi
Football

UEFA Champions League 2026-27 Schedule: Dates, Fixtures, and Key Matchups

The 2026-27 Champions League season kicks off with Paris Saint-Germain targeting a third consecutive title. They face a challenging group stage alongside Barcelona and Manchester City, reflecting the high level of competition. Arsenal, last season's finalists, also confront a tough lineup including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund.

Competition Format and Progression

The league phase begins in early September, involving 36 teams playing eight matches each. The top eight clubs will move directly to the Round of 16, bypassing the playoff round. Teams placed 9th to 16th enter the knockout playoff stage against those ranked 17th to 24th. Clubs ranked 25th to 36th are eliminated from European contests without moving to the Europa or Conference Leagues. The knockout phase then progresses through playoffs, Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finally the championship match.

League Phase Matchdays

  • Round 1: Sep 8-10, 2026
  • Round 2: Oct 13-14, 2026
  • Round 3: Oct 20-21, 2026
  • Round 4: Nov 3-4, 2026
  • Round 5: Nov 24-25, 2026
  • Round 6: Dec 8-9, 2026
  • Round 7: Jan 19-20, 2027
  • Round 8: Jan 27, 2027

Knockout Phase Dates

  • Knockout Playoffs 1st leg: Feb 16-17, 2027
  • Knockout Playoffs 2nd leg: Feb 23-24, 2027
  • Round of 16 1st leg: Mar 9-10, 2027
  • Round of 16 2nd leg: Mar 16-17, 2027
  • Quarterfinals 1st leg: Apr 6-7, 2027
  • Quarterfinals 2nd leg: Apr 13-14, 2027
  • Semifinals 1st leg: Apr 27-28, 2027
  • Semifinals 2nd leg: May 4-5, 2027
  • Final: Jun 5, 2027

Selected Fixtures and Results: Matchday One Highlights (September 8-10, 2026)

  • AEK Athens 1-0 LASK – Allwyn Arena
  • Club Brugge 2-3 Aston Villa – Jan Breydel Stadium
  • Borussia Dortmund 3-2 Villarreal – Signal Iduna Park
  • Porto 0-2 Manchester City – Estadio do Dragao
  • Lille 2-3 Real Betis – Stade Pierre-Mauroy
  • Real Madrid 2-1 Inter Milan – Santiago Bernabeu
  • Barcelona 5-1 Feyenoord – Camp Nou
  • Stuttgart 3-1 Viking – MHPArena
  • Liverpool 2-1 Atletico Madrid – Anfield
  • Paris Saint-Germain 6-1 Slovan Bratislava – Parc des Princes
  • Sporting CP 3-1 Galatasaray – Estadio Jose Alvalade
  • Napoli 0-1 Arsenal – Estadio Diego Armando Maradona
  • Fenerbahce 1-1 Roma – Sukru Saracoglu Stadium
  • PSV 1-1 Shakhtar Donetsk* – Philips Stadion
  • Como 4-1 RB Leipzig – Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia
  • Bayern Munich 5-0 Bodo/Glimt – Allianz Arena
  • Manchester United 4-0 Sabah – Old Trafford
  • Slavia Prague 2-3 Lens – Fortuna Arena

Additional Notes on Venues

  • Shakhtar Donetsk will host matches at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge due to the conflict in Ukraine.
  • Real Betis will play home fixtures at La Cartuja stadium in Seville while their usual stadium undergoes renovations.

Upcoming Draws and Knockout Stage

The knockout playoff draw is scheduled for January 29, 2027, pairing seeded teams (9th-16th) against unseeded teams (17th-24th). The full bracket for the Round of 16 onwards will be decided in the February 27, 2027 draw, setting up all future matchups including the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final.

Final Match Details

The Champions League final will take place on June 5, 2027, at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain.

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