Spurs learn Champions League fate as Liverpool handed brutal opening — Full fixtures revealed

Liverpool and Manchester City will both come up against Real Madrid in this season’s Champions League while title-holders Paris Saint-Germain were handed a tough list of opponents in Thursday’s draw, including Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Xabi Alonso’s Real will play City at home and take on Premier League champions Liverpool at Anfield in what will be two of the standout fixtures of the league phase.

“That is, I am sure, a fixture that the whole world will be looking at,” Liverpool coach Arne Slot said about the Madrid challenge.

PSG will entertain Bayern and go to Barcelona, while the French club also have home fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.

Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now >

Elsewhere, the final of this season’s Champions League in Budapest will kick off at 6pm local time rather than 9pm to “enhance the matchday experience”, UEFA announced.

The 2026 final will be played at the Puskas Arena on Saturday, May 30.

“An earlier kick-off makes day trips more feasible, reduces travel stress, and allows fans to enjoy the occasion without worrying about late-night logistics,” said Ronan Evain, executive director for Football Supporters Europe, which worked on the subject with UEFA.

Unlike the Europa League and Conference League finals, which are played in midweek, the Champions League showpiece has been held on Saturdays since 2010.

“While a 21:00 CET kick-off is well suited for midweek matches, an earlier kick-off on a Saturday for the final means an earlier finish -- regardless of extra time or penalties,” said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.

Paris Saint-Germain won their maiden European Cup in last season’s final, beating Inter Milan 5-0 in Munich.

Games will start on September 16 and the final league-phase matchday will be January 28.

KEY 2025/26 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN (FRA) Bayern Munich (h), Barcelona (a), Atalanta (h), Bayer Leverkusen (a), Tottenham (h), Sporting Lisbon (a), Newcastle (h), Athletic Bilbao (a)

REAL MADRID (ESP) Manchester City (h), Liverpool (a), Juventus (h), Benfica (a), Marseille (h), Olympiakos (a), Monaco (h), Kairat Almaty (a)

MANCHESTER CITY (ENG) Borussia Dortmund (h), Real Madrid (a), Bayer Leverkusen (h), Villarreal (a), Napoli (h), Bodo/Glimt (a), Galatasaray (h), Monaco (a)

BAYERN MUNICH (GER) Chelsea (h), Paris Saint-Germain (a), Club Brugge (h), Arsenal (a), Sporting Lisbon (h), PSV Eindhoven (a), Union Saint-Gilloise (h), Pafos (a)

LIVERPOOL (ENG) Real Madrid (h), Inter Milan (a), Atletico Madrid (h), Eintracht Frankfurt (a), PSV Eindhoven (h), Marseille (a), Qarabag (h), Galatasaray (a)

INTER MILAN (ITA) Liverpool (h), Borussia Dortmund (a), Arsenal (h), Atletico Madrid (a), Slavia Prague (h), Ajax (a), Kairat Almaty (h), Union Saint-Gilloise (a)

CHELSEA (ENG) Barcelona (h), Bayern Munich (a), Benfica (h), Atalanta (a), Ajax (h), Napoli (a), Pafos (h), Qarabag (a)

BILBAO, SPAIN - MAY 21: Ange Postecoglou celebrates the Europa League title win that secured a Champions League spot. Source: Getty Images

BORUSSIA DORTMUND (GER) Inter Milan (h), Manchester City (a), Villarreal (h), Juventus (a), Bodo/Glimt (h), Tottenham (a), Athletic Bilbao (h), FC Copenhagen (a)

BARCELONA (ESP) Paris Saint-Germain (h), Chelsea (a), Eintracht Frankfurt (h), Club Brugge (a), Olympiakos (h), Slavia Prague (a), FC Copenhagen (h), Newcastle (a)

ARSENAL (ENG) Bayern Munich (h), Inter Milan (a), Atletico Madrid (h), Club Brugge (a), Olympiakos (h), Slavia Prague (a), Kairat Almaty (h), Athletic Bilbao (a)

ATLETICO MADRID (ESP) Inter Milan (h), Liverpool (a), Eintracht Frankfurt (h), Arsenal (a), Bodo/Glimt (h), PSV Eindhoven (a), Union Saint-Gilloise (h), Galatasaray (a)

JUVENTUS (ITA) Borussia Dortmund (h), Real Madrid (a), Benfica (h), Villarreal (a), Sporting Lisbon (h), Bodo/Glimt (a), Pafos (h), Monaco (a)

TOTTENHAM (ENG) Borussia Dortmund (h), Paris Saint-Germain (a), Villarreal (h), Eintracht Frankfurt (a), Slavia Prague (h), Bodo/Glimt (a), FC Copenhagen (h), Monaco (a)

NAPOLI (ITA) Chelsea (h), Manchester City (a), Eintracht Frankfurt (h), Benfica (a), Sporting Lisbon (h), PSV Eindhoven (a), Qarabag (h), FC Copenhagen (a)

NEWCASTLE (ENG) Barcelona (h), Paris Saint-Germain (a), Benfica (h), Bayer Leverkusen (a), PSV Eindhoven (h), Marseille (a), Athletic Bilbao (h), Union Saint-Gilloise (a)

Click here to read article