REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth
The 2026/27 Champions League will truly begin when the league phase commences on 8 September. Each team will then play eight games before the knockout stages start, leading to a final which will take place at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, on 5 June 2027.
Last season, Paris Saint-Germain were able to successfully defend their crown. Having thumped Inter Milan 5-1 in the 2024/25 final, the French team came up against Arsenal last May. It was a much tighter affair, but PSG would win the game on penalties, after being held to a 1-1 draw across 120 minutes.
Luis Enrique's men were able to claim back-to-back Champions League trophies, having beaten Bayern Munich in a thrilling 6-5 aggregate win in the semi-final. Harry Kane scored twice across those two games, but still saw his team exit the competition.
Harry Kane Names His Champions League 'Favourite'
Harry Kane
Having never won the prize before – losing the 2019 final to Liverpool with Tottenham – Kane will be desperate to go all the way this season. However, he has claimed that five teams are all in with a shout of being crowned European champions.
As quoted by Spanish outlet Marca, Kane accepted that Bayern Munich won't have an easy time of it in the Champions League this season, claiming that they can't be viewed as the number one favourites. Unsurprisingly, he has given that status to PSG, but did claim that his team, plus three others, must be viewed as contenders:
"I think PSG is the first favourite, as they have won it two years in a row, and then of course there are others like Bayern, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Barcelona… All the big teams will be there."
It's interesting to note that Kane only picked one English team. The likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Aston Villa have all qualified for the Champions League and will hope to prove the Bayern striker wrong. Spurs fans also might not like the club icon picking their north London rivals, but having finished 17th in the Premier League last season, they won't be playing any European football in 2026/27.
Lautaro Martinez and Martin Zubimendi during Inter vs Arsenal
Lautaro Martinez and Martin Zubimendi during Inter vs Arsenal
Kane Reflects on Bayern's 2026/27 European Chances
REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
In the same interview, Kane reflected on Bayern's chances after making the semi-final last term. He said: "I think we had a really good campaign in Europe. We lost against a great team like PSG by a very small margin, so sometimes you have to accept those things and move on. Since the first day I've been here, I know that also the other players and the managers we've gone back to work with the same mentality."
Adding to that, he remarked: "Last season is already behind us and we'll see what happens in this one. Now it's about moving forward, fighting for this season and, obviously, the Champions League is one of our big goals. We are ready to work hard and see where this journey takes us, knowing that every match in this competition presents a unique and difficult challenge."
Bayern have not won the Champions League since 2020, when they beat PSG 1-0 in the final. It would be no shock to see either side make it that far this time around.