The draw is complete, the opponents are known and the first reactions are already coming in. One thing is certain: the 2026-2027 league phase will immediately offer several fixtures that could have been knockout-round ties.
PSG will face FC Barcelona and Manchester City again, Lille will have to take on Bayern Munich and Arsenal, while Lens will get Manchester City and Liverpool. On a European scale, Real Madrid will notably face Inter and Arsenal, while Liverpool will meet Atlético and Inter again.
Initial reactions differ from club to club.
PSG: two huge fixtures, but a draw that leaves some breathing room
Paris Saint-Germain did not escape the very top-tier sides.
The reigning European champions will host FC Barcelona and will also have to face Manchester City. Two fixtures that immediately grab attention, all the more so as Paris, as defending champions, will once again be one of the most closely watched teams in this league phase.
But behind these two fixtures, the rest of the schedule looks much more manageable:
- AS Roma
- Aston Villa
- Galatasaray
- Villarreal
- Slovan Bratislava
- Como
The first impression, then, is one of a spectacular draw without being catastrophic. PSG will have to beat at least a few heavyweights to aim very high, but also has six matches in which it can look for valuable points.
Early French reactions point in that direction: Paris were not spared, but do not seem to have drawn the toughest possible scenario.
Lille: Bayern and Arsenal, the big test
For LOSC, the verdict is harsher.
Bayern Munich and Arsenal will be the two opponents drawn from pot 1. Lille will notably have to travel to London to face the Gunners, while Bayern will also be on their path.
The rest of the schedule, however, offers opportunities:
- Real Betis
- AS Roma
- Galatasaray
- Bodø/Glimt
- Slovan Bratislava
- Stuttgart
This is therefore a draw with two faces. Two very high-level opponents, but also several matches in which Lille can reasonably hope to pick up points.
LOSC will nonetheless quickly need to gauge the importance of these eight matches: under the new format, every point can weigh heavily when it comes to determining final positions.
Lens: Manchester City and Liverpool, but not only
Racing Club de Lens have probably received the draw that will be talked about most in France.
The Sang et Or will face Manchester City and Liverpool again. Two giants of English football, two potentially eagerly awaited away trips, and two nights that promise huge exposure for Lens' return to the Champions League.
But reducing Lens' draw to these two names alone would be incomplete. Racing will also face:
- Inter Milan
- Dortmund
- Club Brugge
- Napoli
- Bodø/Glimt
- Como
The challenge is therefore immense, but Lens will also have several opportunities to pick up points. The first reading is that of a spectacular draw, with part of the schedule extremely difficult and another part much more open.
In England, Arsenal were not spared
English clubs also discovered particularly tough schedules.
Arsenal will have to face Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Two of the biggest names in European football will therefore be on the Gunners' menu.
Manchester City are no better off, with PSG and Barcelona, while Liverpool will have Atlético Madrid and Inter Milan.
Manchester United, for their part, will face Bayern Munich and Atlético again, while Aston Villa will have to take on PSG and Barcelona.
In other words, English clubs will not be able to count on a quiet league phase.
Barça and City already at the centre of discussions
Among the fixtures drawing the most attention, the clash between Manchester City and FC Barcelona is obviously one of the first names that stands out.
Both clubs will also face PSG, which places all three teams in a particularly exposed part of this league phase. Reuters notably highlighted the spectacular nature of the draw for the Parisian title holders, with Barcelona and City on the schedule.
The European draw confirms this impression, with several fixtures already being flagged as clashes to watch:
- Real Madrid – Inter
- Real Madrid – Arsenal
- Arsenal – Bayern
- Liverpool – Atlético
- Liverpool – Inter
- PSG – Barcelona
- City – PSG
'Small' Sabah up against the giants
Another draw is drawing particular attention: that of Sabah.
The Azerbaijani club, founded in 2017, will face Barcelona, Arsenal, Dortmund, Manchester United, Napoli, Villarreal, Slavia Prague and Viking.
For a team still very young on the scale of European football, the schedule is dizzying.
The Baku club thus finds itself facing four opponents from very major leagues, including Barcelona, Arsenal, Dortmund and Manchester United. This pairing has already been noted in early international reactions.
A spectacular draw, but not yet the calendar
One clarification remains essential: the opponents are now known, but the full calendar is not yet.
Each team's eight fixtures have been identified, but the order of matches, the dates and the precise distribution across matchdays still have to be determined. Matchday one is scheduled for 8, 9 and 10 September, while the league phase will run until January.
This, then, is only a first snapshot.
But it is already enough to give an idea of what awaits French clubs: PSG will get two major clashes, Lille will have to face two European giants, and Lens will have two English giants on their path.
The Champions League has not even started yet, and the first big nights are already taking shape.
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