The league phase of the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League will once again stage a spectacular finale, with all 18 matches kicking off simultaneously. Eight teams are locked on 13 points apiece, and every single goal will prove decisive to their fate. Which six sides will join Arsenal and Bayern Munich in booking their direct spots in the Champions League Round of 16? Which giants will be relegated to the knockout play-offs, where they will face one-off, do‑or‑die ties? All the suspense will be unveiled on the morning of January 29th!
[1]Arsenal VS Kairat Almaty[36] 2026/01/28 20:00UTC
[22]PSV VS Bayern Munich[2] 2026/01/28 20:00UTC
Hosting bottom-placed Kairat at home, Arsenal are on course to become the first team to complete a perfect league stage record in the new Champions League format. Bayern Munich hold a three-point and two-goal lead over Real Madrid and will be pushing to secure second place.
One change to the Champions League this season compared with last is that teams finishing in the top four of the league stage will be automatically assigned an away-first, home-second tie sequence in the quarter-finals. Those ranked in the top two will keep this away‑before‑home order all the way through to the semi‑finals. Should a team be eliminated, the side that knocks them out will take their place in the fixture order.
If Arsenal and Bayern Munich successfully secure top-two positions, the two teams will not face each other again before the final.