FC Barcelona’s road in the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League is about to begin. Hansi Flick’s side will learn this Thursday which eight teams they will face during the league phase of Europe’s biggest club competition.
The draw will take place this Thursday, August 27, in Monaco and will feature the 36 qualified teams. Barça are in Pot 1 alongside some of the leading contenders to win the title.
This will be the third season under the Champions League’s new format, featuring one overall league table and eight matches for each team before determining which clubs advance directly to the round of 16 and which ones must go through the playoffs.
Barcelona Will Learn Their Eight Opponents
The format establishes that Barcelona will face eight different opponents during the league phase.
The Blaugrana will host four teams at the Spotify Camp Nou and play four other matches away from home. They will also face two opponents from each of the four pots established for the draw.
One thing has already been ruled out.
Barcelona cannot face another LaLiga representative during this phase. That eliminates Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Real Betis and Villarreal as possible opponents. In addition, no team can face more than two clubs from the same national association.
Barça share Pot 1 with Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Inter, Manchester City, Arsenal and Atlético de Madrid.
Barcelona’s Opponents in the 2026-27 Champions League
Opponent 1: To be determined
Opponent 2: To be determined
Opponent 3: To be determined
Opponent 4: To be determined
Opponent 5: To be determined
Opponent 6: To be determined
Opponent 7: To be determined
Opponent 8: To be determined
Home matches: To be determined
Away matches: To be determined
Barcelona Look to Finish Among Europe’s Best Again
The new Champions League format has worked quite well for Barcelona.
In the first two seasons featuring the 36-team league phase, the Catalan side finished among the top eight in the standings, avoiding the additional playoff round and securing direct qualification for the round of 16.
That will once again be one of Flick’s first objectives.
The top eight teams in the standings will advance directly to the round of 16, while clubs finishing between ninth and 24th will have to play an additional knockout playoff.
When Will Barcelona Play in the Champions League?
Although the eight opponents and the venue for each matchup will be determined this Thursday, the complete schedule will not be immediately available.
UEFA has confirmed that the specific dates and kickoff times will be announced no later than Saturday, August 29.
The league phase will be played between September 2026 and January 2027:
Matchday 1: September 8-10, 2026
Matchday 2: October 13-14, 2026
Matchday 3: October 20-21, 2026
Matchday 4: November 3-4, 2026
Matchday 5: November 24-25, 2026
Matchday 6: December 8-9, 2026
Matchday 7: January 19-20, 2027
Matchday 8: January 27, 2027
For Barcelona, the objective is once again a major one: finish the league phase among the top eight and begin building another run toward the decisive stages of the UEFA Champions League.