Champions League Draw Delivers Blockbuster Clashes Across 36-Team Field

The draw produced major storylines throughout the entire field, from clashes between European giants to historic opportunities for newcomers such as Sabah, Viking, AEK Athens and LASK. The original draw coverage confirmed that all clubs learned their league-phase opponents on Thursday, August 27.

The competition will again use the 36-team league format. Each club faces eight different opponents — two from each of the four seeding pots — with four matches at home and four away.

The top pot features Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, ensuring a series of heavyweight contests before the knockout stages even begin.

Real Madrid have been paired with Inter Milan and Arsenal among their leading fixtures, while Arsenal must also face Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund during a demanding campaign. Liverpool have Atletico Madrid and Inter among their opponents, while defending champions PSG meet Barcelona, Manchester City and Roma.

Barcelona's schedule brings another collection of major European nights. The Catalans face Manchester City, PSG, Aston Villa and Sporting, while their remaining opponents include Feyenoord, Galatasaray, Como and Sabah.

Atletico Madrid will come up against Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester United, with PSV, Fenerbahce, Bodo/Glimt, Viking and Stuttgart completing their opposition.

Bayern have also been handed meetings with Arsenal, Atletico, Real Betis and Manchester United, alongside Bodo/Glimt, Lille, Slavia Prague and Viking.

Inter's route includes Liverpool, Real Madrid, Club Brugge and Borussia Dortmund before meetings with Shakhtar Donetsk, Feyenoord, Stuttgart and Slovan Bratislava.

Manchester City face PSG at home and Barcelona away, while Sporting, Porto, Napoli, RB Leipzig, AEK Athens and Lens complete their eight opponents. The Barcelona encounter also sets up City's reunion with Rodri, while the Napoli fixture brings Kevin De Bruyne up against his former club.

Pot Two is made up of Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Sporting, Aston Villa, Porto, Manchester United, Club Brugge, Real Betis and PSV.

Dortmund's schedule includes Inter, Arsenal, Real Betis and Aston Villa, along with Villarreal, Bodo/Glimt, AEK Athens and Sabah.

Roma have been handed Real Madrid, PSG, Sporting and Manchester United among their opposition, with Lille, Fenerbahce, Slovan Bratislava and AEK completing their programme.

Sporting will face Barcelona, Manchester City, Manchester United and Roma before further meetings with Galatasaray, Shakhtar, LASK and Lens.

Aston Villa face an imposing route featuring PSG, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund. Club Brugge, Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, Viking and Slavia Prague make up the remainder of Villa's draw.

Porto will welcome Manchester City and also meet Liverpool, PSV, Real Betis, Napoli, Feyenoord, Slavia Prague and LASK.

Manchester United have Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Roma, Sporting, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Sabah and Como, giving them fixtures across Germany, Spain, Portugal, Azerbaijan and Italy.

Club Brugge's opposition includes Liverpool, Inter, Aston Villa, PSV, Bodo/Glimt, Napoli, Lens and Stuttgart, while Real Betis face Arsenal, Bayern, Porto, Dortmund, Feyenoord, Lille, Como and Slovan Bratislava.

PSV will meet Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Club Brugge and Porto as well as Shakhtar, Leipzig, Stuttgart and Viking.

Pot Three also contains considerable European pedigree, with Feyenoord, Lille, Bodo/Glimt, Napoli, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Fenerbahce, Shakhtar Donetsk and Galatasaray forming the section.

Napoli's schedule includes Arsenal at home and Manchester City away, followed by Club Brugge, Porto, Bodo/Glimt, Villarreal, Viking and Sabah.

Feyenoord will face Inter and Barcelona before matches against Porto, Real Betis, Leipzig, Galatasaray, Como and Viking.

Lille have Bayern, Arsenal, Real Betis, Roma, Galatasaray, Bodo/Glimt, Slovan Bratislava and Stuttgart.

Bodo/Glimt's draw provides opportunities against Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, with Club Brugge, Lille, Napoli, LASK and Lens also on their schedule.

RB Leipzig will face Manchester City and Real Madrid as well as PSV, Manchester United, Shakhtar, Feyenoord, Lens and Como.

Villarreal have been given fixtures against PSG, Liverpool, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund before meetings with Napoli, Fenerbahce, Sabah and Slavia Prague.

Fenerbahce's return to the league phase brings encounters with Liverpool, Atletico Madrid, Roma, Aston Villa, Villarreal, Shakhtar, Slavia Prague and LASK.

Shakhtar Donetsk will meet Real Madrid and Inter alongside Sporting, PSV, Fenerbahce, Leipzig, AEK Athens and Slovan Bratislava.

Galatasaray's draw includes Barcelona and PSG, with Aston Villa, Sporting, Feyenoord, Lille, Stuttgart and AEK Athens completing an attractive programme.

Pot Four introduces several clubs who will relish the chance to test themselves against Europe's established powers.

Slavia Prague face Arsenal and Bayern Munich together with Aston Villa, Porto, Villarreal, Fenerbahce, Lens and Sabah.

Slovan Bratislava will meet Inter, PSG, Real Betis, Roma, Shakhtar, Lille, Stuttgart and LASK.

Stuttgart's opposition includes Atletico Madrid, Inter, Club Brugge, PSV, Lille, Galatasaray, Viking and Slovan Bratislava.

AEK Athens have perhaps one of the most eye-catching schedules among the Pot Four sides. They will host Real Madrid and also face Manchester City, Roma, Dortmund, Galatasaray, Shakhtar, LASK and Como.

LASK have Liverpool and Real Madrid among their assignments, along with Porto, Sporting, Fenerbahce, Bodo/Glimt, Slovan Bratislava and AEK Athens.

Como will welcome PSG and Manchester United during their debut campaign while also facing Barcelona, Real Betis, Leipzig, Feyenoord, AEK Athens and Lens.

Lens have been handed Manchester City and Liverpool alongside Sporting, Club Brugge, Bodo/Glimt, Leipzig, Como and Slavia Prague.

Norwegian side Viking will test themselves against Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, PSV and Aston Villa, with Feyenoord, Napoli, Sabah and Stuttgart also awaiting them.

Sabah, meanwhile, are preparing for a remarkable first Champions League league-phase campaign.

The Azerbaijani club will face Barcelona, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United and Napoli, as well as Villarreal, Slavia Prague and Viking.

That collection of opponents makes Sabah one of the most intriguing stories of the draw, with a relatively new club now preparing to share the Champions League stage with some of Europe's most decorated teams.

Across the competition, the draw has delivered major ties including PSG against Barcelona, Manchester City against PSG, Real Madrid against Arsenal, Liverpool against Atletico Madrid, Inter against Real Madrid, Bayern against Arsenal and Barcelona against Manchester City.

It has also created less familiar contests that underline the appeal of the league-phase format, with Como, Sabah, AEK Athens, LASK, Viking, Slovan Bratislava and Bodo/Glimt all receiving opportunities to host or visit major European clubs.

UEFA has confirmed that the league phase begins from September 8-10. Further matchdays will take place through October, November and December before the final two rounds in January 2027, with the complete dates and kick-off times due to be confirmed no later than August 29.

The top eight clubs in the final 36-team standings will qualify directly for the round of 16, while those finishing from ninth to 24th will have to negotiate the knockout play-offs.

With every club now knowing the challenge ahead, attention turns from the draw to a league phase featuring traditional European powers, ambitious challengers and newcomers all competing on the same table for passage into the knockout rounds.