PitchVibe Kits · 1 September 2026
Champions League Is Back: Matchday 1 Preview & Every Fixture
18 games, three nights, one giant table. The 2026-27 league phase kicks off on September 8 — here’s every fixture, the five games you can’t miss, and the shirts to have on before the anthem.
The Full Matchday 1 Fixture List
All 18 games across three nights, home team first. Fixtures with a gold kit badge have that club’s shirt in stock today — tap through to grab it before kickoff. Wait, why are there only 18 games and not 36? Because in the league phase every club plays eight games spread over eight matchdays — 18 games per matchday, 144 in total. Confused by the new format? Our Who Plays Who guide has all 36 clubs and their full eight-game lists.
The Five Games You Can’t Miss
Every game counts in a 36-team table, but these five are the ones you rearrange your evening around.
Real Madrid vs Inter Milan
Tuesday, September 8 · Bernabéu
The night the whole competition restarts — Real Madrid hosting Inter at the Bernabéu to open the league phase. Fourteen European Cups between them, and neither side wants to drop points in a field this deep. The biggest opener on the board.
Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid
Wednesday, September 9 · Anfield
The fixture that gave us one of the great Champions League nights back in 2020, now served up as an early-season statement game. Anfield against Atlético means noise, chaos and no easy minutes — exactly what the new format is supposed to deliver in round one.
Napoli vs Arsenal
Wednesday, September 9 · Diego Armando Maradona
Arsenal’s first big away day is a trip to Naples, and there are few harder places to open a campaign. Napoli under the floodlights at the Maradona is a rite of passage — this one decides who starts with real momentum.
FC Porto vs Manchester City
Tuesday, September 8 · Estádio do Dragão
Nobody’s idea of a soft landing. The Dragão on a European night is one of football’s great atmospheres, and City have to go there on matchday one against a Porto side that treats this competition like a birthright.
Manchester United vs Sabah
Thursday, September 10 · Old Trafford
Three years away, and United are finally back under the lights at Old Trafford. Sabah arrive as the first visitors of the return — expect the Stretford End to make it loud from minute one.
Wear It Before The Anthem: Kits In Stock
Sixteen of the 36 clubs already have their brand-new 26/27 shirts in the shop — and every one of them plays on Matchday 1. Get yours on before the anthem hits.
ArsenalLiverpoolMan UnitedReal Madrid
Man City
Barcelona
Bayern Munich
PSG
Inter Milan
Borussia Dortmund
Atletico Madrid
Aston VillaFC Porto
PSV Eindhoven
LOSC Lille
RB LeipzigPlus four deeper cuts from the draw, still in stock at friendlier prices:
Eight Matchdays, Five Months
The league phase runs from September to late January — here’s the full schedule so you can plan your season:
FAQ
Matchday 1 runs September 8–10, 2026, with six games each night. The league phase then continues through January 27, 2027, and the final is at the Metropolitano in Madrid on June 5, 2027.
Check our Who Plays Who in the League Phase guide — all 36 clubs, all eight opponents, home and away, with the stocked ones marked.
Yes — add the +$4 Name & Number Customization add-on to your order and leave the player name and number in your order notes. Or pick a ready-made option from the Customization collection.
16 of the 36 clubs have their 26/27 shirts in stock today, and a few more are available in previous-season kits. We add new teams to the shop regularly — check back before matchday one, or grab a rival’s shirt and call it banter.
Get Your Shirt On Before The Anthem
Matchday one is September 8. Don’t be the one watching in last year’s top.
Shop All 26/27 Jerseys Customization OptionsNew to the season? Start with our 26/27 Club Kits guide and the jersey care guide to keep your new shirts box-fresh all season.