Champions League draw: Everything Arsenal fans need to know

Every year under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal have gone one better in the Champions League. A quarter-final exit at the hands of Bayern Munich was followed by a semi-final defeat against Paris Saint-Germain, before reaching last year's final, heartbreakingly beaten on penalties by PSG at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest. Well, Gooners will hope that this trend continues.

The Gunners' latest Champions League adventures starts in only a fortnight, so here is everything fans need to know ahead of the draw.

When is the Champions League league phase draw?

The Champions League league phase draw takes place on Thursday 27 August. Monaco will be the setting, namely the Grimaldi Forum. It is scheduled to start at 6pm local time, which is 5pm in the UK and noon ET in the United States. The draw itself often takes at least half an hour to truly start.

How can I watch the Champions League draw?

The draw will be live on BBC iPlayer, TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max in the United Kingdom as well as on CBS Sports in the United States.

What pot are Arsenal in for the Champions League draw?

Arsenal are now ranked seventh in the UEFA Club Coefficient Ranking. This means they find themselves in pot 1, albeit this does not benefit them in the draw, unlike in the old group stage format.

Who has qualified for the Champions League league phase?

A total of 36 clubs enter the Champions League league phase. Of these, 29 are direct entrants, while seven sides made it through the play-off round both this week and last. These clubs are divided into four pots, as outlined.

Pot 1

Paris Saint-Germain
Bayern Munich
Real Madrid
Liverpool
Internazionale Milano
Manchester City
Arsenal
Barcelona
Atlético Madrid

Pot 2

Borussia Dortmund
AS Roma
Sporting Clube de Portugal
Aston Villa
FC Porto
Manchester United
Club Brugge
Real Betis
PSV Eindhoven

Pot 3

Feyenoord
LOSC Lille
Bodø/Glimt
Napoli
RB Leipzig
Villarreal
Fenerbahçe
Shakhtar Donetsk
Galatasaray

Pot 4

Slavia Prague
ŠK Slovan Bratislava
VfB Stuttgart
AEK Athens
LASK
Como
Lens
Viking
Sabah

Who can Arsenal not face in the Champions League?

As has become customary, Arsenal cannot face other fellow English teams, namely Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa nor Liverpool. There are though two other draw conditions.

The Gunners can face a maximum of two opponents from any country. So, if they land Barcelona and Madrid from pot 1, as an example, they would not be able to draw Real Betis or Villarreal later on.

Lastly, a new UEFA rule means that Gooners will not be heading to San Siro in the league phase. Arsenal have travelled to Milan to take on Inter in both of the last two seasons. Now, UEFA have decided that identical fixture cannot take place in three consecutive campaigns.

This means Arsenal's pot 1 away game will be against one of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, PSG or Bayern Munich; they could still host the Serie A champions.

How does the Champions League league phase draw work?

Arsenal will play eight matches, four at home and four away. These will be against eight different opponents. In each pot, the Gunners will face two clubs, one in North London and one on the road.

Champions League 2026/27 league phase dates

League phase draw: Thursday 27 August - 5pm (BST) start.

Matchday 1: 8-10 September.

Matchday 2: 13 & 14 October.

Matchday 3: 20 & 21 October.

Matchday 4: 3 & 4 November.

Matchday 5: 24 & 25 November.

Matchday 6: 8 & 9 December.

Matchday 7: 19 & 20 January.

Matchday 8: Wednesday 27 January.

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