UCL Schedule: Real Madrid Host Inter Milan Sept. 8 to Open League Phase

UEFA released the UCL schedule Saturday, confirming Real Madrid will host Inter Milan on Sept. 8 to begin their pursuit of a 16th European title.

Real Madrid, the record 15-time European champions, will host Inter Milan on Sept. 8 to begin the Champions League league phase. This opening fixture marks the return of coach José Mourinho to the home of his former club. UEFA published the full match dates for all 36 teams on Saturday, following the official draw held in Monaco two days prior. Each participant is scheduled for an eight-game slate under the revised tournament format.

The opening day features two early kickoffs at 6:45 p.m., with Club Brugge hosting Aston Villa and AEK Athens welcoming Austrian newcomers LASK. On Sept. 9, defending champions Paris Saint-Germain host Slovan Bratislava, a side led by Yaya Touré, who becomes the first African coach to manage a team in the league phase. That same evening, Liverpool hosts Atlético Madrid at Anfield, a fixture that resulted in a 3-2 victory for the English side during their opening match last season.

Manchester United and Bayern Munich Start Sept. 10

Debutants Sabah of Azerbaijan travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Sept. 10. The third day of the opening round also sees Como visit RB Leipzig, while Bayern Munich hosts Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt. Following these initial fixtures, the competition pauses for a new four-game national team window, with the second round of games resuming more than one month later.

Manchester City hosts PSG on Oct. 14 in a marquee second-round matchup. PSG’s difficult October continues on Oct. 20 when they face Barcelona at the Parc des Princes. The following night, Oct. 21, Bayern Munich welcomes Arsenal. Barcelona’s schedule includes a trip to Baku to play Sabah on Nov. 25, followed by a home match against Manchester City on Dec. 8.

Mourinho Returns to London for Arsenal and Chelsea Fixtures

José Mourinho is scheduled for two visits to London during the league phase. Arsenal hosts Real Madrid on Dec. 9, and the Spanish champions return to the English capital on Jan. 27 for the final matchday. On that date, Madrid faces Shakhtar Donetsk at Stamford Bridge. The Ukrainian champions selected Chelsea’s home stadium—where Mourinho previously won three Premier League titles under Roman Abramovich—as their neutral venue for all four home games.

January fixtures include significant travel to Norway during the domestic offseason. Bodo/Glimt hosts Atlético Madrid at their Arctic Circle stadium on Jan. 19. One day later, Viking welcomes PSV Eindhoven to Stavanger for a seventh-round clash. These matches occur during a period when weather conditions are expected to be severe.

Final Round Synchronized Kickoffs and Qualification Rules

The final round of the league phase takes place on Jan. 27, with all 18 matches kicking off simultaneously at 9 p.m. Central European Time. Barcelona hosts Como, a team managed by their former midfielder Cesc Fàbregas. Como’s January schedule includes hosting PSG one week prior to their trip to Spain. Other final-day fixtures include PSG hosting Galatasaray, Arsenal welcoming Sabah, and Bayern Munich hosting Real Betis.

Tournament progression is determined by the final 36-team standings. The top eight teams qualify directly for the round of 16 in March. Clubs finishing in 9th through 24th place will enter a two-legged knockout playoff in February to secure the remaining eight spots. Teams ranked 25th to 36th are eliminated from the competition.