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Two wayward penalty kicks robbed Arsenal of their first-ever Champions League trophy last season, but that heartbreak will undoubtedly ignite their pursuit of the title in 2026–27.
The Gunners will learn their league phase opponents for this season's competition during Thursday's draw as they look to exact revenge for May's final defeat against Paris Saint-Germain. Having finally ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League title, they will now set their sights on European glory.
Arsenal finished atop last season's 36-team league phase standings after going unbeaten across all eight matches, and Mikel Arteta will expect an equally dominant set of displays from his squad this time out.
Naturally, much hinges on the fortune of the draw—or the supercomputer's algorithms these days—and there are some potentially explosive ties awaiting England's champions even before the knockout rounds begin.
Here are Arsenal's possible league phase opponents for this campaign.
What 2026–27 Champions League Pot Are Arsenal In?
After several years of increasingly strong Champions League campaigns, Arsenal have secured their spot in Pot 1 for the upcoming draw. Only six clubs boast a higher UEFA club coefficient than the Gunners.
Nevertheless, they will still be required to face two of their fellow Pot 1 sides during the league phase, along with two clubs from each of the remaining three pots—ensuring some tricky fixtures for the north Londoners.
• How to Watch 2026–27 Champions League Draw on TV, Live Stream
Arsenal's Potential 2026–27 Champions League League Phase Opponents
Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
Paris Saint-Germain | Borussia Dortmund | Feyenoord | Slavia Prague |
Bayern Munich | Roma | Lille | Slovan Bratislava |
Real Madrid | Sporting CP | Bodø/Glimt | VfB Stuttgart |
Liverpool | Aston Villa | Napoli | AEK Athens |
Inter Milan | Porto | RB Leipzig | LASK |
Manchester City | Manchester United | Villarreal | Como |
Arsenal | Club Brugge | Fenerbahçe | Lens |
Barcelona | Real Betis | Shakhtar Donetsk | Viking |
Atlético Madrid | PSV Eindhoven | Galatasaray | Sabah |
Arsenal will be grateful that UEFA regulations prevent them from facing any Premier League clubs in the league phase, meaning they are shielded from Liverpool and Manchester City in Pot 1, as well as Aston Villa and Manchester United in Pot 2. They will also be restricted from meeting more than two clubs from the same country.
Unfortunately for Arteta's side, a rematch of last season's final remains a real possibility. PSG are among the potential Pot 1 opponents, as are the formidable trio of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and record-holders Real Madrid.
Arsenal are likely to encounter at least one of that fearsome foursome, though they will be hoping for draws against Inter and Atlético Madrid instead—although a clash with the former can only take place at the Emirates Stadium, with UEFA rules prohibiting the same fixture from being held at the same venue three consecutive seasons. The Gunners have visited Inter at San Siro in each of the past two campaigns.
Pot 2 presents its own set of challenges. Borussia Dortmund and Real Betis both feature, having defeated Arsenal during preseason—though competitive encounters would likely tell a different story. Roma would also be a difficult proposition, while Portuguese pair Sporting CP and Porto are capable of causing an upset. PSV Eindhoven and Club Brugge pose less of a threat.
Pot 3 contains some gruelling potential away fixtures. Trips to Fenerbahçe or Galatasaray are never straightforward, while the trek to the Arctic Circle to face Bodø/Glimt proved costly for both Inter and Man City last season. 2024–25 Serie A champions Napoli will be a stern test under Max Allegri, with RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Feyenoord, Lille and Shakhtar Donetsk among the other possible opponents.
Four clubs are making their Champions League bow this season. Como, managed by former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas, are joined by Austria's LASK, Azerbaijan's Sabah and Norway's Viking as first-time participants. Stuttgart, Lens and Slavia Prague are more familiar names at this level, while AEK Athens and Yaya Touré's Slovan Bratislava are unlikely to pose a serious threat.