UEFA releases 2026-27 Champions League schedule as Inter visit Real Madrid and Napoli host Arsenal

Tournament calendar and opening fixtures

UEFA published the full fixture calendar on 29 August 2026 for the 36 participating clubs in the Champions League league phase. The eight-round opening stage will begin on 8 September 2026 and conclude with a unified final matchday on 27 January 2027. Matches in the opening round will take place across three consecutive evenings from Tuesday to Thursday. The opening Tuesday programme on 8 September includes early kickoffs between AEK Athens and LASK, alongside Club Brugge hosting Aston Villa, before evening matches featuring Borussia Dortmund against Villarreal, Porto against Manchester City, and Lille hosting Real Betis. Wednesday 9 September will feature Liverpool hosting Atletico Madrid and Barcelona facing Feyenoord, while Thursday 10 September includes Bayern Munich playing Bodo/Glimt and Manchester United hosting Sabah.

Inter and Napoli schedules

Italian champions Inter, managed by Cristian Chivu, will open their European campaign on 8 September with an away fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid, managed by former Inter coach José Mourinho. Inter will subsequently host Club Brugge on 13 October and Shakhtar Donetsk on 21 October, before travelling to Feyenoord on 3 November. The Milan club will then host Stuttgart on 25 November, visit Borussia Dortmund on 9 December, host Liverpool on 19 January, and finish away to Slovan Bratislava on 27 January 2027. Napoli, under manager Massimiliano Allegri, will start their campaign at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on 9 September against Arsenal. Napoli will travel to Villarreal on 13 October, host Bodo/Glimt on 20 October, visit Porto on 4 November, face Manchester City away on 24 November, host Club Brugge on 8 December, visit Sabah on 20 January, and close at home against Viking on 27 January.

Roma and Como European fixtures

Roma, coached by Gian Piero Gasperini, will open their Champions League campaign on Thursday 10 September in Istanbul against Fenerbahce, who signed former Roma forward Romelu Lukaku during the transfer window. Roma will then host Real Madrid at the Stadio Olimpico on 14 October, marking Mourinho's return to Rome two years after his departure. Roma will subsequently play Slovan Bratislava at home on 20 October, Manchester United away on 3 November, Paris Saint-Germain away on 25 November, Sporting CP at home on 8 December, AEK Athens away on 19 January, and Lille at home on 27 January. Como, managed by Cesc Fabregas, will make their competition debut on 10 September at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia against RB Leipzig. Como will then face Feyenoord away on 14 October, host Manchester United on 21 October, travel to Lens on 4 November, host AEK Athens on 24 November, visit Real Betis on 9 December, host PSG on 20 January, and visit Barcelona on 27 January.

Ticket distribution and January conclusion

Roma have sold 40,000 cup season tickets that cover home Champions League matches and the Coppa Italia round of 16. Available general admission seating for the Real Madrid fixture will remain limited because season-ticket holders already filled the Curva Sud and Distinti Sud sections several weeks prior to the schedule release. The 36 clubs will complete their eighth and final round of league phase fixtures simultaneously on Wednesday 27 January 2027. All four Italian representatives will finish their phase on that day, with Inter at Slovan Bratislava, Napoli hosting Viking, Roma hosting Lille, and Como playing away against Barcelona.