UCL draw: Bayern to play Arsenal, Chelsea, Real to face City and Liverpool

Whole football world has waited today’s draw of the new Champions League season and they got another round of fantastic games in the League phase. Former stars Zlatan Ibrahimović and Kaka, with a help from a computer draw all pairs and there will be some mouth watering games in the group phase. For instance, Arsenal will play against Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, Real will travel over 6000 kilometers just to play Kairat, but will also face Manchester City, Liverpool and Juventus. Current champions Paris Saint Germain will host Newcastle and Bayern, but will travel to Barcelona.

The 36 participating teams have been split into four pots based on their individual coefficient ranking with the Champions League titleholder the top seed in Pot 1. Starting with Pot 1, one physical ball, which was drawn before the automated software – already in use last year – drew eight opponents for them, taking into account the following principles:

Two teams from each of the four pots, with one home and one away match against teams from each pot drawn by the software.

No teams from the same association drawn against each other.

No more than two opponents from the same association.

As for the key dates in this year’s Champions League calendar here they are:

League phase

Matchday 1: 16–18 September 2025

Matchday 2: 30 September–1 October 2025

Matchday 3: 21/22 October 2025

Matchday 4: 4/5 November 2025

Matchday 5: 25/26 November 2025

Matchday 6: 9/10 December 2025

Matchday 7: 20/21 January 2026

Matchday 8: 28 January 2026

Knockout phase

Knockout phase play-offs: 17/18 & 24/25 February 2026

Round of 16: 10/11 & 17/18 March 2026

Quarter-finals: 7/8 & 14/15 April 2026

Semi-finals: 28/29 April & 5/6 May 2026

Final: 30 May 2026 (Budapest)