The draw for league phase of the 2025/26 Champions League has thrown up some mouthwatering games, with Real Madrid handed an especially tough run which includes fixtures against Manchester City, Liverpool and Juventus.
That, of course, was one of the main objectives of the expansion of the Champions League and the adoption of the 36-team Swiss model.
Under the previous format, the top-ranked teams in Pot 1 would avoid each other until the knockout stages. Now, though, each Pot 1 team plays against two-similarly ranked opponents, giving us a series of matchups between the strongest sides in the tournament.
In addition to Madrid’s tricky sequence of games, Liverpool also face Inter and Atlético, while Barcelona host PSG and visit Chelsea.
At the other end of the spectrum, there will be Champions League debuts for the likes of Pafos of Cyprus, who have been drawn to play Bayern Munich and Chelsea, and Kazakh club Kairat, who take on Real Madrid, Inter and Arsenal.
Every league phase game in the 2025/26 Champions League
Pot 1 teams
Bayern Munich
Chelsea (home), PSG (away), Club Brugge (home), Arsenal (away), Sporting (home), PSV Eindhoven (away), Union Saint-Gilloise (home), Pafos (away)
Chelsea
Barcelona (home), Bayern Munich (away), Benfica (home), Atalanta (away), Ajax (home), Napoli (away), Pafos (home), Qarabag (away)
Real Madrid
Manchester City (home), Liverpool (away), Juventus (home), Benfica (away), Marseille (home), Olympiacos (away), Monaco (home), Kairat (away)
Inter Milan
Liverpool (home), Dortmund (away), Arsenal (home), Atlético Madrid (away), Slavia Praha (home), Ajax (away), Kairat (home), Union Saint-Gilloise (away)
Dortmund
Inter (home), Manchester City (away), Villarreal (home), Juventus (away), Bodø/Glimt (home), Tottenham (away), Athletic Club (home), Copenhagen (away)
Liverpool
Real Madrid (home), Inter (away), Atlético Madrid (home), Eintracht Frankfurt (away), PSV Eindhoven (home), Marseille (away), Qarabag (home), Galatasaray (away)
Barcelona
PSG (home), Chelsea (away), Eintracht Frankfurt (home), Club Brugge (away), Olympiacos (home), Slavia Praha (away), Copenhagen (home), Newcastle United (away)
PSG
Bayern Munich (home), Barcelona (away), Atalanta (home), Leverkusen (away), Tottenham (home), Sporting (away), Newcastle United (home), Athletic Club (away)
Manchester City
Dortmund (home), Real Madrid (away), Leverkusen (home), Villarreal (away), Napoli (home), Bodø/Glimt (away), Galatasaray (home), Monaco (away)
Pot 2 teams
Leverkusen
PSG (home), Manchester City (away), Villarreal (home), Benfica (away), PSV Eindhoven (home), Olympiacos (away), Newcastle United (home), Copenhagen (away)
Arsenal
Bayern Munich (home), Inter (away), Atlético Madrid (home), Club Brugge (away), Olympiacos (home), Slavia Praha (away), Kairat (home), Athletic Club (away)
Atalanta
Chelsea (home), PSG (away), Club Brugge (home), Eintracht Frankfurt (away), Slavia Praha (home), Marseille (away), Athletic Club (home), Union Saint-Gilloise (away)
Benfica
Real Madrid (home), Chelsea (away), Leverkusen (home), Juventus (away), Napoli (home), Ajax (away), Qarabag (home), Newcastle United (away)
Club Brugge
Barcelona (home), Bayern Munich (away), Arsenal (home), Atalanta (away), Marseille (home), Sporting (away), Monaco (home), Kairat (away)
Eintracht Frankfurt
Liverpool (home), Barcelona (away), Atalanta (home), Atlético Madrid (away), Tottenham (home), Napoli (away), Galatasaray (home), Qarabag (away)
Juventus
Dortmund (home), Real Madrid (away), Benfica (home), Villarreal (away), Sporting (home), Bodø/Glimt (away), Pafos (home), Monaco (away)
Atlético Madrid
Inter (home), Liverpool (away), Eintracht Frankfurt (home), Arsenal (away), Bodø/Glimt (home), PSV Eindhoven (away), Union Saint-Gilloise (home), Galatasaray (away)
Villarreal
Manchester City (home), Dortmund (away), Juventus (home), Leverkusen (away), Ajax (home), Tottenham (away), Copenhagen (home), Pafos (away)
Pot 3 teams
Marseille
Liverpool (home), Real Madrid (away), Atalanta (home), Club Brugge (away), Ajax (home), Sporting (away), Newcastle United (home), Union Saint-Gilloise (away)
Tottenham
Dortmund (home), PSG (away), Villarreal (home), Eintracht Frankfurt (away), Slavia Praha (home), Bodø/Glimt (away), Copenhagen (home), Monaco (away)
Bodø/Glimt
Manchester City (home), Dortmund (away), Juventus (home), Atlético Madrid (away), Tottenham (home), Slavia Praha (away), Monaco (home) and Galatasaray (away)
Sporting
PSG (home), Bayern Munich (away), Club Brugge (home), Juventus (away), Marseille (home), Napoli (away), Kairat (home), Athletic (away)
Olympiacos
Real Madrid (home), Barcelona (away), Leverkusen (home), Arsenal (away), PSV Eindhoven (home), Ajax (away), Pafos (home), Kairat (away)
Ajax
Inter (home), Chelsea (away), Benfica (home), Villarreal (away), Olympiacos (home), Marseille (away), Galatasaray (home), Qarabag (away)
Slavia Praha
Barcelona (home), Inter (away), Arsenal (home), Atalanta (away), Bodø/Glimt (home), Tottenham (away), Athletic Club (home), Pafos (away).
PSV Eindhoven
Bayern Munich (home), Liverpool (away), Atlético Madrid (home), Leverkusen (away), Napoli (home), Olympiacos (away), Union Saint-Gilloise (home), Newcastle United (away).
Napoli
Chelsea (home), Manchester City (away), Eintracht Frankfurt (home), Benfica (away), Sporting (home), PSV Eindhoven (away), Qarabag (home), Copenhagen (away)
Pot 4 teams
Copenhagen
Dortmund (home), Barcelona (away), Leverkusen (home), Villarreal (away), Napoli (home), Tottenham (away), Kairat (home), Qarabag (away)
Monaco
Manchester City (home), Real Madrid (away), Juventus (home), Club Brugge (away), Tottenham (home), Bodo/Glimt (away), Galatasaray (home), Pafos (away).
Galatasaray
Liverpool (home), Manchester City (away), Atlético Madrid (home), Eintracht Frankfurt (away), Bodo/Glimt (home), Ajax (away), Union Saint-Gilloise (home), Monaco (away).
Union Saint-Gilloise
Inter Milan (home), Bayern Munich (away), Atalanta (home), Atlético Madrid (away), Marseille (home), PSV Eindhoven (away), Newcastle United (home), Galatasaray (away)
Qarabag
Chelsea (home), Liverpool (away), Eintracht Frankfurt (home), Benfica (away), Ajax (home), Napoli (away), Copenhagen (home), Athletic Club (away)
Athletic Club
PSG (home), Dortmund (away), Arsenal (home), Atalanta (away), Sporting (home), Slavia Praha (away), Qarabag (home), Newcastle (away)
Newcastle United
Barcelona (home), PSG (away), Benfica (home), Leverkusen (away), PSV Eindhoven (home), Marseille (away), Athletic Club (home), Union Saint-Gilloise (away)
Pafos
Bayern Munich (home), Chelsea (away), Villarreal (home), Juventus (away), Slavia Praha (home), Olympiacos (away), Monaco (home), Kairat (away)
Kairat
Real Madrid (home), Inter (away), Club Brugge (home), Arsenal (away), Olympiacos (home), Sporting (away), Pafos (home), Copenhagen (away)
2025/26 Champions League schedule: every league phase game by date
Matchday 1
Tuesday, September 16
18:45 Athletic Club vs Arsenal FC
18:45 PSV Eindhoven vs R. Union Saint-Gilloise
21:00 Juventus vs Borussia Dortmund
21:00 Real Madrid C.F. vs Olympique de Marseille
21:00 SL Benfica vs Qarabağ FK
21:00 Tottenham Hotspur vs Villarreal CF
Wednesday, September 17
18:45 Olympiacos FC vs Pafos FC
18:45 SK Slavia Praha vs FK Bodø/Glimt
21:00 AFC Ajax vs FC Internazionale Milano
21:00 FC Bayern München vs Chelsea FC
21:00 Liverpool FC vs Atlético de Madrid
21:00 Paris Saint-Germain vs Atalanta BC
Thursday, September 18
18:45 Club Brugge KV vs AS Monaco
18:45 F.C. Copenhagen vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen
21:00 Eintracht Frankfurt vs Galatasaray A.Ş.
21:00 Manchester City vs SSC Napoli
21:00 Newcastle United FC vs FC Barcelona
21:00 Sporting Clube de Portugal vs FC Kairat Almaty
Matchday 2
Tuesday, September 30
18:45 Atalanta BC vs Club Brugge KV
18:45 FC Kairat Almaty vs Real Madrid C.F.
21:00 Atlético de Madrid vs Eintracht Frankfurt
21:00 Chelsea FC vs SL Benfica
21:00 FC Internazionale Milano vs SK Slavia Praha
21:00 FK Bodø/Glimt vs Tottenham Hotspur
21:00 Galatasaray A.Ş. vs Liverpool FC
21:00 Olympique de Marseille vs AFC Ajax
21:00 Pafos FC vs FC Bayern München
Wednesday, October 1
18:45 Qarabağ FK vs F.C. Copenhagen
18:45 R. Union Saint-Gilloise vs Newcastle United FC
21:00 Arsenal FC vs Olympiacos FC
21:00 AS Monaco vs Manchester City
21:00 Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs PSV Eindhoven
21:00 Borussia Dortmund vs Athletic Club
21:00 FC Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain
21:00 SSC Napoli vs Sporting Clube de Portugal
21:00 Villarreal CF vs Juventus
Matchday 3
Tuesday, October 21
18:45 FC Barcelona vs Olympiacos FC
18:45 FC Kairat Almaty vs Pafos FC
21:00 Arsenal FC vs Atlético de Madrid
21:00 Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Paris Saint-Germain
21:00 F.C. Copenhagen vs Borussia Dortmund
21:00 Newcastle United FC vs SL Benfica
21:00 PSV Eindhoven vs SSC Napoli
21:00 R. Union Saint-Gilloise vs FC Internazionale Milano
21:00 Villarreal CF vs Manchester City
Wednesday, October 22
18:45 Athletic Club vs Qarabağ FK
18:45 Galatasaray A.Ş. vs FK Bodø/Glimt
21:00 AS Monaco vs Tottenham Hotspur
21:00 Atalanta BC vs SK Slavia Praha
21:00 Chelsea FC vs AFC Ajax
21:00 Eintracht Frankfurt vs Liverpool FC
21:00 FC Bayern München vs Club Brugge KV
21:00 Real Madrid C.F. vs Juventus
21:00 Sporting Clube de Portugal vs Olympique de Marseille
Matchday 4
Tuesday, November 4
18:45 SK Slavia Praha vs Arsenal FC
18:45 SSC Napoli vs Eintracht Frankfurt
21:00 Atlético de Madrid vs R. Union Saint-Gilloise
21:00 FK Bodø/Glimt vs AS Monaco
21:00 Juventus vs Sporting Clube de Portugal
21:00 Liverpool FC vs Real Madrid C.F.
21:00 Olympiacos FC vs PSV Eindhoven
21:00 Paris Saint-Germain vs FC Bayern München
21:00 Tottenham Hotspur vs F.C. Copenhagen
Wednesday, November 5
18:45 Pafos FC vs Villarreal CF
18:45 Qarabağ FK vs Chelsea FC
21:00 AFC Ajax vs Galatasaray A.Ş.
21:00 Club Brugge KV vs FC Barcelona
21:00 FC Internazionale Milano vs FC Kairat Almaty
21:00 Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund
21:00 Newcastle United FC vs Athletic Club
21:00 Olympique de Marseille vs Atalanta BC
21:00 SL Benfica vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Matchday 5
Tuesday, November 25
18:45 AFC Ajax vs SL Benfica
18:45 Galatasaray A.Ş. vs R. Union Saint-Gilloise
21:00 Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal CF
21:00 Chelsea FC vs FC Barcelona
21:00 FK Bodø/Glimt vs Juventus
21:00 Manchester City vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen
21:00 Olympique de Marseille vs Newcastle United FC
21:00 SK Slavia Praha vs Athletic Club
21:00 SSC Napoli vs Qarabağ FK
Wednesday, November 26
18:45 F.C. Copenhagen vs FC Kairat Almaty
18:45 Pafos FC vs AS Monaco
21:00 Arsenal FC vs FC Bayern München
21:00 Atlético de Madrid vs FC Internazionale Milano
21:00 Eintracht Frankfurt vs Atalanta BC
21:00 Liverpool FC vs PSV Eindhoven
21:00 Olympiacos FC vs Real Madrid C.F.
21:00 Paris Saint-Germain vs Tottenham Hotspur
21:00 Sporting Clube de Portugal vs Club Brugge KV
Matchday 6
Tuesday, December 9
16:30 FC Kairat Almaty vs Olympiacos FC
18:45 FC Bayern München vs Sporting Clube de Portugal
21:00 AS Monaco vs Galatasaray A.Ş.
21:00 Atalanta BC vs Chelsea FC
21:00 FC Barcelona vs Eintracht Frankfurt
21:00 FC Internazionale Milano vs Liverpool FC
21:00 PSV Eindhoven vs Atlético de Madrid
21:00 R. Union Saint-Gilloise vs Olympique de Marseille
21:00 Tottenham Hotspur vs SK Slavia Praha
Wednesday, December 10
18:45 Qarabağ FK vs AFC Ajax
18:45 Villarreal CF vs F.C. Copenhagen
21:00 Athletic Club vs Paris Saint-Germain
21:00 Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Newcastle United FC
21:00 Borussia Dortmund vs FK Bodø/Glimt
21:00 Club Brugge KV vs Arsenal FC
21:00 Juventus vs Pafos FC
21:00 Real Madrid C.F. vs Manchester City
21:00 SL Benfica vs SSC Napoli
Matchday 7
Tuesday, January 20
16:30 FC Kairat Almaty vs Club Brugge KV
18:45 FK Bodø/Glimt vs Manchester City
21:00 F.C. Copenhagen vs SSC Napoli
21:00 FC Internazionale Milano vs Arsenal FC
21:00 Olympiacos FC vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen
21:00 Real Madrid C.F. vs AS Monaco
21:00 Sporting Clube de Portugal vs Paris Saint-Germain
21:00 Tottenham Hotspur vs Borussia Dortmund
21:00 Villarreal CF vs AFC Ajax
Wednesday, January 21
18:45 Galatasaray A.Ş. vs Atlético de Madrid
18:45 Qarabağ FK vs Eintracht Frankfurt
21:00 Atalanta BC vs Athletic Club
21:00 Chelsea FC vs Pafos FC
21:00 FC Bayern München vs R. Union Saint-Gilloise
21:00 Juventus vs SL Benfica
21:00 Newcastle United FC vs PSV Eindhoven
21:00 Olympique de Marseille vs Liverpool FC
21:00 SK Slavia Praha vs FC Barcelona
Matchday 8
Wednesday, January 28
21:00 AFC Ajax vs Olympiacos FC
21:00 Arsenal FC vs FC Kairat Almaty
21:00 AS Monaco vs Juventus
21:00 Athletic Club vs Sporting Clube de Portugal
21:00 Atlético de Madrid vs FK Bodø/Glimt
21:00 Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Villarreal CF
21:00 Borussia Dortmund vs FC Internazionale Milano
21:00 Club Brugge KV vs Olympique de Marseille
21:00 Eintracht Frankfurt vs Tottenham Hotspur
21:00 FC Barcelona vs F.C. Copenhagen
21:00 Liverpool FC vs Qarabağ FK
21:00 Manchester City vs Galatasaray A.Ş.
21:00 Pafos FC vs SK Slavia Praha
21:00 Paris Saint-Germain vs Newcastle United FC
21:00 PSV Eindhoven vs FC Bayern München
21:00 R. Union Saint-Gilloise vs Atalanta BC
21:00 SL Benfica vs Real Madrid C.F.
21:00 SSC Napoli vs Chelsea FC