The 2025–26 UEFA Champions League (UCL) promises fireworks from the very start, as the group stage draw held on Thursday in Monaco has thrown up several mouthwatering matchups.

Among the most anticipated is yet another showdown between Real Madrid and Manchester City; two European powerhouses who have built an intense modern rivalry. Unlike previous seasons where they met in the knockout stages, this time they’ll face off right from the first round.

Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain have landed in a particularly tough group, where they will face five-time winners Barcelona and German giants Bayern Munich. It’s a daunting path ahead for the French champions as they seek to defend their title.

Last season’s runners-up Inter Milan have also been drawn into a challenging group, featuring Premier League contenders Liverpool, Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, La Liga club Atletico Madrid, and Arsenal. With such strong opposition, their route to the knockout stage will be anything but easy.

Record 15-time champions Real Madrid will once again cross paths with Liverpool, continuing one of the competition’s most played matchups in recent years.

Real`s group also includes Italian side Juventus and Portuguese club Benfica, setting up a classic European group. Liverpool, meanwhile, will also have to contend with Atletico Madrid, Real’s city rivals, making for a particularly competitive set of fixtures.

Other major teams are also set for high-stakes encounters throughout the group stage. Chelsea will take on both Barcelona and Bayern Munich, while Manchester City will also face Dortmund. Arsenal, returning with renewed European ambitions, are set to clash with Inter and Bayern and Juventus are drawn against Dortmund as well.

Under UEFA’s new league-style format, 36 teams will compete in the first round, each playing eight matches; four at home and four away. The top eight teams on the table will automatically qualify for the Round of 16. Teams finishing between ninth and 24th will move to a playoff round, with winners advancing to complete the last sixteen lineup. The first round begins on September 16.

The draw ceremony opened with a moment of recognition for Chelsea, who were honoured as the only club to have won every major UEFA competition.

Swedish football legend Zlatan Ibrahimovi? received UEFA President’s Award for his contributions to the game. He helped conduct the draw alongside Brazilian icon Kaká, with the event hosted by British-Bangladeshi sports presenter Reshmin Chowdhury.