Arsenal’s Champions League draw shows their balaced path to knockout stages. After the draw Arsenal faces many of Europe´s best teams and offers some intriguing tactical tests as they head into the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League campaign. The Gunners will have to deal with eight different teams, in the new league round format, a total of four matches at home and four matches away.
Fixture Overview and Key Matchups
The schedule starts with an away game against Athletic Club on September 16 before the first home fixture, against Olympiacos, in October. Also in October is the home fixture against Atlético Madrid. The schedule includes very high-profile matches, including an important match with Bayern Munich at the Emirates on November 26. Former Tottenham striker Harry Kane’s return to the Emirates will give the match a story line. The group stage includes two more matches before closing out with an away match to Inter Milan and a home match against Kairat Almaty in January 2026.
🚨 Confirmed: Arsenal’s 2025/26 Champions League league phase fixtures:
🇩🇪 Bayern Munich (h)
🇮🇹 Inter (a)
🇪🇸 Atletico Madrid (h)
🇧🇪 Club Brugge (a)
🇬🇷 Olympiacos (h)
🇨🇿 Slavia Prague (a)
🇰🇿 Kairat Almaty (h)
🇪🇸 Athletic Club (a)
Thoughts on the draw, Gooners? 🌟 pic.twitter.com/9Plr70umMk
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) August 28, 2025
Strategic Advantages
Statistically speaking, Arsenal’s draw is beneficial. Since Opta described it as one of the easiest, purely based on the mixture of opponents. Teams like Slavia Prague, and Club Brugge are lower in terms of their UEFA rankings. It gives Arsenal the chance to have a degree of rotation. The two big games against Inter Milan and Bayern are timed perfectly. Both teams have to hammer out their chances for progressing in the knockouts early.
Squad Depth and Ambitions
With a now bolstered squad, including a new addition in the form of Viktor Gyökeres, the Gunners now have depth for simultaneous domestic and European challenges. Former Arsenal player Theo Walcott, who was at the draw, stated that “They’re all marquee matches…Arsenal will want to go one step further.
🚨 Confirmed: Arsenal’s #UCL league phase squad (excluding B-list). ✅
Raya, Kepa, Setford.
Saliba, Mosquera, White, Hincapie, Gabriel, Timber, Calafiori.
Ødegaard, Eze, Norgaard, Trossard, Madueke, Merino, Havertz, Zubimendi, Rice, Dowman.
Saka, Martinelli, Gyökeres. pic.twitter.com/AtAYWW1mLp
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) September 3, 2025
Format and Progression
With the new structure, the top 8 teams go directly to the round of 16. While the teams that finish 9th to 24th, go into a playoff round. Arsenal is in a great position to target a top 8 finish given their latest European foray in 2024 (semifinal). They will be hoping to avoid another round of knockout qualification.
Conclusion
Arsenal’s draw features historic rivals and a couple manageable tests. The potential for progression in the Champions League is within reach. They have the flexibility to change formations and their overall squad depth. They are prepared taking on the best teams in Europe in search of the club’s first men’s final since 2006.