Arsenal Handed Real Madrid, Bayern in Champions League Draw

Eight Games, One Standout Night

Arsenal will face Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Real Betis, Lille, Napoli, Sabah and Slavia Prague across the new 36-team league phase, one of the toughest draws of any club in the competition this season.

Each club plays four home and four away fixtures against different opponents rather than the old group format, with all 36 sides ranked in a single combined table after eight matchdays. Matchday 1 for Arsenal and the rest of the competition runs from September 8-10, with the full fixture list and kick-off times due to be confirmed by UEFA no later than Saturday, August 29.

There’s a neat sub-plot buried in the fixture list too: the 2026-27 final will be played at Atletico Madrid’s Estadio Metropolitano on June 5, 2027, meaning a home draw against Real Madrid this season could double as an away-day rehearsal for Arsenal supporters dreaming of a return trip to the Spanish capital.

Related Predictions & Analysis

Arsenal’s opening league-phase test arrives on Matchday 1 (September 8-10) once UEFA confirms the full schedule — check the Champions League predictions hub and the AIProPrediction homepage for match-by-match previews as the fixtures land, plus our full match prediction hub for every other UCL side in action this season.