UEFA Champions League 2026/27: Predictions, Favourites, Fixtures and Teams to Watch
The UEFA Champions League 2026/27 gets underway this week, with Europe’s biggest clubs preparing for another long battle for the most prestigious prize in European club football.
The new campaign begins with the league phase on September 8, with 36 teams competing across eight matchdays before the knockout rounds begin in February.
Paris Saint-Germain enter the season as the defending champions after retaining the trophy last season, but they face a serious challenge from Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Barcelona, Real Madrid and several Premier League contenders.
The 2027 Champions League final will be played at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on June 5, 2027.
UEFA Champions League 2026/27: Who are the favourites?
The outright market is unusually competitive this season.
PSG are among the leading contenders after winning the competition in each of the last two campaigns, while Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Barcelona are also priced prominently.
Racing Post’s latest assessment makes Bayern Munich an attractive option at 6/1, while Manchester City are available at 9/1. Como are also highlighted as a potential value selection in the market for the top Serie A team during the league phase.
Current outright prices quoted by Racing Post include:
| Team | Latest quoted odds |
|---|---|
| PSG | 5/1 |
| Arsenal | 6/1 |
| Barcelona | 6/1 |
| Bayern Munich | 6/1 |
| Real Madrid | 13/2 |
| Manchester City | 9/1 |
| Liverpool | 12/1 |
| Manchester United | 20/1 |
| Inter Milan | 28/1 |
Odds can move significantly during the season and may vary between bookmakers.
Bayern Munich could be the value pick
Bayern Munich have a strong case to challenge for the trophy.
The German champions reached the semi-finals last season and were eventually eliminated by PSG after a dramatic tie. They had previously produced an impressive league-phase campaign, winning seven of their eight matches.
Their domestic record also underlines their attacking strength. Bayern scored 122 Bundesliga goals last season and won the title by a substantial margin.
Harry Kane remains the focal point of the attack, while the addition of Luis Díaz gives Bayern another dangerous attacking option.
The club’s consistency in Europe is another reason to take them seriously. Bayern have reached at least the quarter-finals in each of the six Champions League campaigns following their 2019/20 triumph.
Prediction: Bayern Munich to reach at least the semi-finals.
Can PSG make Champions League history?
PSG have the opportunity to achieve something that has been extremely rare in the modern Champions League era.
They have won the last two editions and are now attempting to complete a third consecutive triumph.
Only Real Madrid have previously managed a three-peat in the Champions League era, making PSG’s challenge one of the major storylines of the 2026/27 competition.
However, their start to the domestic season has not been especially convincing. That creates some uncertainty around their chances of dominating Europe for a third successive year.
PSG remain one of the teams most capable of winning the tournament, but their short price leaves less room for error for anyone considering an outright bet. Sporting Life also argues that waiting until later in the tournament could be preferable because the knockout draw can dramatically alter a team’s route to the final.
Manchester City could be the English team to watch
Manchester City have not enjoyed the same level of Champions League success expected from a club with their domestic record.
They have won the competition once, but their recent European campaigns have ended earlier than supporters would have wanted.
The arrival of Enzo Maresca adds another interesting dimension.
City have also strengthened their squad significantly, with players including Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rayan Cherki, Marc Guéhi and Antoine Semenyo among the notable additions discussed by Racing Post.
That combination of squad depth and attacking quality makes City an interesting outsider compared with the shortest-priced contenders.
Prediction: Manchester City to reach the latter stages.
Arsenal face another huge European test
Arsenal come into the competition after an outstanding previous Champions League campaign.
They topped the league phase after winning all eight of their matches before reaching the final.
The Gunners eventually lost to PSG, meaning they will have another opportunity to go one step further this season.
However, Arsenal’s route will not be straightforward.
Their league-phase schedule includes difficult matches against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, while their attacking depth remains an important talking point.
They face Napoli away in their opening fixture before hosting Lille and travelling to Bayern in October. Later in the league phase, Arsenal will host Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.
That is a demanding programme even for a team with genuine title ambitions.
Barcelona’s attacking threat
Barcelona should again be one of the most entertaining teams in the competition.
Their attacking football makes them particularly dangerous over a long Champions League campaign, while their squad contains several players capable of deciding matches individually.
Sporting Life has identified Raphinha as an interesting option in the Champions League top-scorer market, pointing to his early-season scoring form and his role in Barcelona’s attack.
Barcelona also have an attractive collection of league-phase fixtures, although the knockout rounds will ultimately provide the real test.
Real Madrid remain impossible to ignore
Real Madrid cannot be written off in any Champions League preview.
The Spanish giants have more European pedigree than almost any other club and have added another intriguing storyline this season with José Mourinho now in charge.
Kylian Mbappé gives Madrid an obvious goalscoring threat, while their experience in high-pressure knockout matches remains a major advantage.
However, their price is shorter than some of the other contenders, so there may be better value elsewhere in the outright market.
Liverpool’s chances
Liverpool are another English club with realistic ambitions of reaching the latter stages.
The Reds are priced at around 12/1 in the latest Racing Post market, putting them behind the leading group but still within striking distance.
Their challenge will be navigating a difficult European schedule while adapting to a new managerial era.
Liverpool’s league-phase fixtures include a home match against Atlético Madrid and difficult trips later in the campaign.
Manchester United and Aston Villa
Manchester United return to the Champions League with plenty of attention surrounding them.
They are priced at a significantly bigger figure than the leading favourites, meaning expectations are more limited.
Aston Villa are another English side with European ambitions, although their squad has undergone changes following last season’s Europa League success.
Both clubs will need to perform consistently across the league phase before they can realistically be considered serious contenders for the trophy.
Como could be an interesting Serie A outsider
One of the more unusual Champions League stories this season is Como.
Cesc Fàbregas has built an ambitious side that finished fourth in Serie A last season.
Como are not expected to challenge the traditional European giants for the overall trophy, but their league-phase schedule creates an interesting opportunity.
Racing Post has highlighted them at 7/1 to finish as the highest-ranked Serie A side in the league phase. Their schedule includes fixtures against Leipzig, Feyenoord, Manchester United, Lens, AEK Athens and Real Betis before they face PSG and Barcelona in their final two games.
That makes their opening six matches particularly important.
UEFA Champions League 2026/27 format
The competition continues with the 36-team league-phase system.
Each club plays eight matches against eight different opponents, with four games at home and four away.
The top eight teams automatically progress to the round of 16.
Teams finishing ninth to 24th enter the knockout phase play-offs, while clubs finishing 25th or lower are eliminated. UEFA confirms that the league phase contains 144 matches across eight matchdays.
Key 2026/27 Champions League dates
- Matchday 1: September 8-10, 2026
- 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, 2027
- Matchday 8: January 27, 2027
- Knockout play-offs: February 16/17 and 23/24
- Round of 16: March 9/10 and 16/17
- Quarter-finals: April 6/7 and 13/14
- Semi-finals: April 27/28 and May 4/5
- Final: June 5, 2027
Champions League opening fixtures
The first matchday provides several major games.
Among the standout fixtures are:
Real Madrid vs Inter
Porto vs Manchester City
Liverpool vs Atlético Madrid
Napoli vs Arsenal
PSG vs Slovan Bratislava
Barcelona vs Feyenoord
Bayern Munich vs Bodø/Glimt
Manchester United vs Sabah
UEFA’s official fixture list confirms that Matchday 1 takes place between September 8 and 10.
Champions League 2026/27 predictions
With the competition only beginning, predicting the eventual winner is extremely difficult.
The knockout draw will be crucial, injuries can dramatically change the picture and January transfers could strengthen several contenders.
However, based on squad quality, European experience and the current betting market, the leading contenders look like this:
Champions League winner: Bayern Munich
Main challenger: PSG
Best English contender: Manchester City
Dark horse: Como in the Serie A league-stage market
Top-scorer player to watch: Raphinha
Likely semi-final contenders: Bayern Munich, PSG, Manchester City and one of Arsenal, Barcelona or Real Madrid
Bayern’s combination of domestic dominance, attacking quality and recent Champions League consistency makes them an appealing outright selection, while City’s larger price could offer more value for bettors prepared to take a bigger risk. Racing Post currently lists Bayern at 6/1 and City at 9/1.
Final verdict
The UEFA Champions League 2026/27 promises to be one of the most competitive editions of the expanded league-phase era.
PSG are chasing an historic third consecutive title, Bayern Munich are looking to return to the summit of European football, while Arsenal, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester City all have credible claims.
For UK football fans, the opening week immediately delivers several heavyweight fixtures, with Napoli vs Arsenal, Liverpool vs Atlético Madrid and Porto vs Manchester City among the games likely to attract the most attention.
The safest approach at this early stage may be to avoid becoming too committed to one outright selection. The league phase still has eight matchdays to play, and the eventual knockout draw could have a major influence on the title race.
One thing is certain: the road to Madrid has already begun.
Odds are subject to change and were correct at the time of the cited sources’ publication. Betting involves risk. Only bet what you can afford to lose and, in the UK, follow the relevant responsible-gambling guidance.
