Champions League draw pairs Real Madrid with Inter and Roma as Como faces Barcelona

Draw mechanics and tournament calendar

The draw for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase took place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, conducted by former forwards Thierry Henry and David Villa. The 36 participating clubs were split across four pots according to their five-year UEFA coefficient, with automated software determining eight opponents per team. Each club will play four home and four away fixtures in a single 36-team standings table running from 8 September to 27 January. The top eight finishers qualify directly for the round of 16, while clubs ranking 9th to 24th will enter two-legged play-offs to reach the knockout stage. The final is scheduled for 5 June at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, with UEFA distributing 2.5 billion euros across all 36 participants.

Inter Milan and Roma meet Mourinho

Both Inter Milan and AS Roma were drawn against Real Madrid, managed by former coach José Mourinho. Italian champions Inter Milan, coached by Cristian Chivu, will travel to the Santiago Bernabeu to face Real Madrid and will host Liverpool at San Siro. Newly signed midfielder Curtis Jones will face his hometown club Liverpool, while Inter also drew away trips to Borussia Dortmund, Feyenoord, and Slovan Bratislava, alongside home ties against Club Brugge, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Stuttgart. Roma, returning to the tournament after a seven-year absence under Gian Piero Gasperini, will host Mourinho's Real Madrid at the Stadio Olimpico. Roma also face away fixtures against title holders Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United at Old Trafford, Fenerbahce, and AEK Athens, with home matches against Sporting CP, Lille, and Slovan Bratislava.

Napoli and Como draw marquee European fixtures

Napoli, managed by Massimiliano Allegri, will host last season's finalists Arsenal at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona and travel to the Etihad Stadium to face Enzo Maresca's Manchester City. Napoli's schedule also features away matches against Francesco Farioli's Porto, Villarreal, and Sabah, alongside home ties against Club Brugge, Bodo/Glimt, and Viking. Tournament debutants Como, managed by Cesc Fàbregas following a fourth-place Serie A finish, will travel to Spain to play Barcelona at Camp Nou. Como will host Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, RB Leipzig, and AEK Athens at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, subject to final UEFA venue clearance, or at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia. Their away schedule also includes trips to Real Betis, Feyenoord, and Lens.

Financial stakes and title defence

The 36 clubs in the league stage share a total prize fund of 2.5 billion euros, with participation alone guaranteeing 18 million euros per team. UEFA awards 2.1 million euros for each match victory and 700,000 euros for a draw during the league phase. Paris Saint-Germain, coached by Luis Enrique, enter the tournament seeking a third consecutive European Cup title after earning 145 million euros in their previous campaign. The complete match schedule with dates and kick-off times will be confirmed and released on Saturday.