The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase kicks off on Tuesday, with 36 teams beginning their campaigns in a revamped competition featuring several high-profile encounters.
Ahead of the opening fixtures, UEFA has highlighted a number of interesting statistics and milestones, ranging from landmark appearances and impressive home records to historic rivalries and contrasting European form.
PUNCH Online has selected 10 of the 18 Matchday 1 fixtures highlighted
UEFA as games to watch across the three-day opening round.
1. Real Madrid vs Inter — Tuesday
Real Madrid host Inter in arguably the biggest fixture of the opening round, with several major storylines attached to the encounter.
Kylian Mbappé is just one goal away from equalling Real Madrid legend Raúl González’s 71 Champions League goals. Thibaut Courtois could also make his 100th appearance in the competition if selected.
The match will also see José Mourinho face his former club Inter, whom he led to the Champions League title in 2009/10 as part of a historic treble.
Real Madrid have won six of their last seven meetings with Inter and 17 of their last 19 Champions League opening-day matches. Inter, meanwhile, have failed to win away to a Spanish club in their last 13 attempts.
2. Porto vs Manchester City — Tuesday
Manchester City will make their 150th European Cup appearance when they travel to face Porto.
Porto are making their 28th appearance in the Champions League group stage or league phase, ranking fourth behind Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
The Portuguese giants have lost just one of their last 14 home UEFA matches but have won only two of their last 16 encounters against English opposition.
City, meanwhile, have lost six of their last nine Champions League away matches, while their only two defeats in 11 matches against Portuguese clubs came against Sporting CP and another Portuguese opponent.
3. Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal — Tuesday
Borussia Dortmund welcome Villarreal to Germany, hoping to repeat their previous victory over the Spanish side.
The two clubs have met only once, with Dortmund recording a 4-0 home victory last season.
Dortmund have lost just two of their last 15 home matches against Spanish opposition and have won their last three.
Villarreal, however, have shown resilience in the competition, having avoided defeat in their last 31 Champions League group-stage or league-phase matches.
4. Club Brugge vs Aston Villa — Tuesday
Aston Villa return to the Champions League with a visit to Club Brugge, a side they faced three times in the competition last season.
Club Brugge won their first meeting 1-0, before Villa responded with 3-1 and 3-0 victories in the round of 16.
The Belgian club have lost only three of their last 22 UEFA home matches and have scored at least three goals in six of their last seven European home games.
Villa also boast an impressive European record, winning 13 of 15 matches in last season’s Europa League and losing only three of their last 21 UEFA group-stage or league-phase matches.
5. Barcelona vs Feyenoord — Wednesday
Barcelona begin their campaign at home against Feyenoord, with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal among the players expected to attract attention.
Yamal needs two goals to equal Kylian Mbappé’s record for the most Champions League goals scored
a player aged 20 or under.
Barcelona have also scored 50 goals across the first two editions of the league phase since its introduction in 2024/25 — eight more than any other club.
Feyenoord, however, have failed to score in only two of their last 15 Champions League group-stage or league-phase matches, although they have gone 11 European away matches without a victory.
6. Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid — Wednesday
Liverpool face Atletico Madrid at Anfield in a repeat of last season’s opening-day fixture, which the Reds won 3-2.
Liverpool have finished among the top three in the league phase in each of the last two seasons and have won their last six league-phase matches against Spanish opposition.
Atletico captain Koke could make his 150th UEFA club competition appearance, while Diego Simeone remains the longest-serving coach in this season’s league phase, having been in charge since December 2011.
Atletico have never beaten an English club in a Champions League group-stage or league-phase match, recording four draws and six defeats.
7. Napoli vs Arsenal — Wednesday
Arsenal travel to Napoli for another heavyweight encounter.
The clubs have met four times, with Arsenal winning three and Napoli one. The Gunners also won both legs of their 2018/19 Europa League quarter-final against the Italian side.
Napoli have won only two of their last 10 Champions League matches and have lost their last three against English opposition.
Arsenal, meanwhile, conceded the fewest goals across last season’s league phase and knockout rounds combined, allowing just seven while keeping nine clean sheets. They have also remained unbeaten on Matchday 1 in their last nine European campaigns.
8. Paris Saint-Germain vs Slovan Bratislava — Wednesday
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain begin their title defence against Slovan Bratislava.
PSG are aiming to become only the second club in the Champions League era to win the competition three consecutive times, following Real Madrid’s achievement between 2015/16 and 2017/18.
Luis Enrique’s side have won their opening Champions League fixture in each of the last four seasons and kept clean sheets in their last three.
Slovan have gone seven UEFA matches unbeaten but lost all eight matches during their previous league-phase campaign in 2024/25.
9. Bayern Munich vs Bodø/Glimt — Thursday
Bayern Munich host Bodø/Glimt, with Harry Kane chasing another Champions League milestone.
Kane has scored 54 goals in 70 Champions League appearances and would become the third-fastest player to reach 55 goals if he scores.
Bayern have won their opening Champions League match in each of their last 22 campaigns and are unbeaten in their last 38 home group-stage or league-phase matches.
The German champions also need just one goal to become the second club after Real Madrid to reach 900 goals in European Cup history.
10. Manchester United vs Sabah — Thursday
Manchester United return to the Champions League proper for the first time since 2023/24 when they face Azerbaijani club Sabah.
The fixture will mark United’s 26th appearance in the competition, the most
an English club. It will also be their 300th European Cup match, making them the first English side to reach the landmark.
However, United’s recent Champions League record is concerning, with the club winning only one of their last seven group-stage or league-phase matches.
Sabah, meanwhile, are making their first appearance in a UEFA group stage or league phase and won six of their eight qualifying matches.
Other fixtures
The other Matchday 1 fixtures are AEK Athens vs LASK and Lille vs Real Betis on Tuesday; Stuttgart vs Viking and Sporting CP vs Galatasaray on Wednesday; and Fenerbahçe vs Roma, PSV vs Shakhtar Donetsk, Como vs RB Leipzig and Slavia Prague vs Lens on Thursday.
The 2026/27 Champions League league phase runs from September 8 to January 27, with all 36 teams playing eight matches each.
