Champions League fixture schedule confirmed

Arsenal will play both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the league phase of this season's Champions League; Liverpool will travel to Inter Milan, while both Man City and Aston Villa will host holders PSG; the first round of games will be played September 8-10

The Champions League fixture dates for Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa have been confirmed.

Last season's European finalists Arsenal will play Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in this year's Champions League league phase.

The Premier League champions will also face Borussia Dortmund and Napoli in their bid to finish in the top eight automatic places, having topped qualifying with a perfect record last term.

Meanwhile, both Man City and Aston Villa will host holders PSG. The Villa Park fixture will be a repeat of the recent Super Cup, which PSG won 2-1 in Salzburg .

Among Liverpool's fixtures is a trip to Inter Milan and another tie against Atletico Madrid, with Man Utd also scheduled to face Diego Simeone's side.

Matchday 1 : September 8-10 Matchday 2: October 13-14 Matchday 3 : October 20-21 Matchday 4: November 3-4 Matchday 5 : November 24-25 Matchday 6: December 8-9 Matchday 7: January 19-20 Matchday 8: January 27

Knockout-phase play-offs: February 16/17 and 23/24 Round of 16: March 9/10 and 16/17 March 2027 Quarter-finals : April 6/7 and 13/14 Semi-finals: April 27/28 and May 4/5 Final: 5 June 2027 - Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid

A total of 36 teams will enter the competition at this stage after 29 qualified at the end of last season. The remaining seven places were determined by the qualifiers.

In the new format, which is entering its third season since being implemented, teams now play fixtures against eight different teams - two teams from Pots 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Half of the eight league-phase matches are at home, with the other half away.

The top eight sides in the league will qualify automatically for the round of 16, while teams finishing 25th or lower are eliminated and do not drop into the Europa League.

The teams finishing in ninth to 24th place compete in a two-legged knockout-phase play-off. Teams finishing between ninth and 16th are seeded, meaning they will face a team in 17th-24th with the return leg at home.

The eight clubs who win their knockout-phase play-off each meet one of the seeded top-eight finishers in the league-phase table for a place in the quarter-finals.