Champions League 2026-27 Season Overview

The league phase of the Champions League for the 2026-27 season begins on Tuesday, featuring matches such as Real Madrid vs Inter Milan and Porto vs Manchester City. Paris Saint-Germain, the two-time defending champions, aim for a third consecutive title and will face Barcelona, Manchester City, and Aston Villa among their eight league phase matches this season. Other teams, including last year's runners-up Arsenal and Bayern Munich, are also considered strong contenders. Barcelona is expected to be among the favorites, while Real Madrid, now managed by Jose Mourinho for a second time, hopes to leverage its star-studded roster to reach the final at Atletico Madrid's Metropolitano Stadium. PSG's coach Luis Enrique seeks to become only the second coach to win three straight Champions Leagues with the same club, following Zinedine Zidane's achievement with Real Madrid from 2016 to 2018. PSG has refined its squad by adding players like Ferran Torres and Lucas Digne while letting go of Bradley Barcola and others. Bayern Munich, under Vincent Kompany, aims for a third consecutive Bundesliga title and to advance further in the Champions League after a semifinal loss to PSG last season. Harry Kane, who won the European Golden Shoe last season, is a key player for Bayern, but questions remain about his ability to maintain his scoring pace. Real Madrid's recent signings, including Bernardo Silva and Denzel Dumfries, aim to restore the club's status as Champions League contenders after two trophyless seasons. Como, having qualified for the Champions League for the first time in its history, represents a significant achievement for a club that has risen from Italy's fourth tier in recent years. Other clubs like Villarreal and Real Betis also aim to prove their competitiveness in the tournament, despite lacking the financial resources of larger clubs.