Champions League: A look at the remaining eight teams

FC Bayern Munich open their 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase campaign on September 10, 2026, when they host Norwegian champions FK Bodø/Glimt at the Allianz Arena in Munich. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 CEST, marking the first-ever competitive meeting between the two sides at this level. After conquering the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal in recent seasons, Vincent Kompany's squad now turns its attention to European glory as the new Champions League format gets underway.

Bayern enter this fixture in commanding domestic form, having navigated their early-season schedule without defeat. The Bavarians were held to a 0-0 draw by Schalke 04 on September 5, but prior to that they produced a dominant 5-1 victory over VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga opener and edged Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the German Supercup. The 2026/27 squad features captain Manuel Neuer, defensive pillars Dayot Upamecano, Kim Min-jae and Jonathan Tah, midfield general Joshua Kimmich, and an attacking arsenal led by Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, Luis Díaz and Michael Olise.

Como 1907 are preparing for their historic UEFA Champions League debut as they host RB Leipzig at the Stadio Sinigaglia on September 10, 2026. Following extensive renovation work to bring the stadium up to UEFA code, Cesc Fàbregas's side will finally play their first home match of the 2026/2027 campaign in front of their own supporters. The Lariani have made significant investments in their squad during the summer transfer window, bringing in high-profile names such as striker Moise Kean from Fiorentina, defender Trevoh Chalobah from Chelsea for €30 million, goalkeeper Robert Sánchez on loan from Chelsea, and midfielder Luis Milla from Getafe. These additions complement an already talented roster featuring Nico Paz, Martin Baturina, Assane Diao, and Anastasios Douvikas. Como enter this fixture in excellent domestic form, having secured an impressive 1-4 victory away to Genoa and a hard-fought 1-2 win at the Diego Maradona against Napoli.

RB Leipzig arrive in Italy under the guidance of manager Martín Demichelis with a restructured squad for the 2026/2027 season. The German club invested €68.5 million in new talent during the summer, securing the services of midfielder Rocco Reitz from Borussia Mönchengladbach for €20 million, defender Maxime Estève from Burnley for €25 million, striker Marc Guiu from Chelsea for €16 million, and welcoming Christopher Nkunku back on loan from AC Milan. However, Leipzig suffered a major blow in the Bundesliga, slumping to a 3-1 defeat away to Werder Bremen, which exposed defensive vulnerabilities that Como will look to exploit. Earlier in the year, Leipzig recorded a 2-1 home victory against St. Pauli, demonstrating their attacking capabilities when playing in familiar surroundings.

Fenerbahçe welcome AS Roma to the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium on September 10, 2026, for a highly anticipated UEFA Champions League 2026/27 league phase opener. Both clubs have strengthened their rosters significantly for the 2026/2027 season and will be eager to start their European campaigns with a positive result in Istanbul. The match kicks off at 18:45 local time and promises to be an intriguing tactical battle between two of the continent's most passionate fanbases.

The home side enters this fixture looking to bounce back from domestic disappointment after falling to a 1-2 defeat against Beşiktaş in their most recent outing, though they had previously enjoyed a productive 4-2 victory over Konyaspor. Fenerbahçe's 2026/2027 squad features key additions including Romelu Lukaku, Mason Greenwood, and N'Golo Kanté, alongside established figures like Milan Škriniar, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, and Marco Asensio. The Yellow Canaries qualified for the league phase by eliminating Lyon in the play-off round and will rely on their potent attacking trio to trouble the Giallorossi defence.

Manchester United return to the UEFA Champions League on September 10, 2026, when they host Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK at Old Trafford in their opening league phase fixture. This marks United's first appearance in Europe's premier club competition since the 2023-24 season, while Sabah make their historic debut in the tournament proper after winning their first-ever league title and navigating through the qualifying rounds.

Michael Carrick's side will look to build momentum after a mixed start to the 2026-27 Premier League campaign, having bounced back from a 2-0 defeat at Hull City with a commanding 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town, while their final day 0-3 win at Brighton last season secured third place and this European return. The Red Devils have named a strong 25-man Champions League squad for the 2026/2027 season featuring new signings Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba alongside established stars Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Matthijs de Ligt.

PSV Eindhoven welcome Shakhtar Donetsk to the Philips Stadion on September 10, 2026, for their opening fixture of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase. The Dutch champions enter this clash in scintillating domestic form, having dismantled FC Utrecht 1:6 in their most recent Eredivisie outing and remained unbeaten across their opening four league matches. Shakhtar, meanwhile, arrive in the Netherlands looking to bounce back after a disappointing home defeat to Polissya Zhytomyr in Ukrainian Premier League action. With both sides fielding their full 2026/27 squads, this encounter promises to be an intriguing tactical battle between Peter Bosz's high-flying Boeren and a Shakhtar side adjusting to several key personnel changes.

The PSV squad for the 2026/27 season retains its core attacking strength led by experienced campaigners Ivan Perišić and Luuk de Jong, while young talents including Jerdy Schouten and Isaac Babadi provide energy from midfield. Peter Bosz has his side playing an aggressive, high-pressing brand of football that has yielded 15 goals in just four Eredivisie games this term, though their defence has shown occasional vulnerability with five goals conceded. Their home record remains formidable, and after sharing the spoils in a 2:2 draw against Fortuna Sittard earlier in August, PSV have since found their rhythm with convincing victories over Excelsior and Groningen. The Dutch giants will be eager to replicate their dramatic 3-2 Champions League triumph over Shakhtar from November 2024 and start their European campaign with maximum points on home soil.

The UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase kicks off for SK Slavia Prague and RC Lens on Thursday, 10 September 2026, when the two sides meet at Fortuna Arena in Prague. This opening fixture represents a crucial opportunity for both clubs to stake an early claim in the competition, with Slavia Prague looking to capitalize on home advantage against a Lens side that arrives with strong Ligue 1 credentials and a point to prove on the European stage.

Slavia Prague enter the match with a refreshed 2026/2027 squad featuring key figures such as goalkeeper Ondřej Kolář, defenders Tomáš Holeš and David Zima, midfielders Lukáš Provod and Danijel Šturm, and attacking options including Ivan Schranz and Mojmír Chytil. The Czech champions have shown formidable domestic form, most recently demonstrated by their commanding 5-1 victory over Jablonec in May, and will rely on their cohesive unit and vocal home support to trouble the French visitors.