The 2026-27 Champions League league phase has given every club eight matches, but the routes to the knockout rounds are far from equal.
Some teams have been handed schedules filled with elite opposition, while others will begin the competition with a more manageable list of fixtures. Stuttgart appear to have benefited most from the draw, whereas Lens face one of the steepest challenges.
The league phase draw was completed in Monaco on Thursday, confirming the opponents for all 36 clubs. Each team will play two sides from each of the four seeding pots, although the new format means no two clubs share the same fixture list.
That has created a wide gap in the overall difficulty of the competition.
Based on the average strength of their eight opponents, Stuttgart have the most favourable schedule in the tournament. Their opponents have an average rating of 88.9, the lowest figure recorded among all 36 teams.
That could prove important in a league phase where every point contributes to a single table. The top eight clubs qualify automatically for the round of 16, while teams finishing between ninth and 24th must enter the play-offs.
Inter have also been given a favourable route, with their opponents averaging 89.5. The Italian side will welcome the opportunity after their disappointing European campaign last season.
Inter reached the Champions League final in 2024-25 but were eliminated by Bodø/Glimt in the knockout play-offs last term. Their latest draw offers them a chance to build momentum early and avoid another difficult route through the competition.
Liverpool have the ninth-easiest schedule, with their opponents averaging 90.0. The Premier League champions will meet Atlético Madrid and Inter but avoided several of the most difficult options from Pot 1.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have been handed a draw with a sharp contrast between their strongest and weakest opponents.
Mikel Arteta’s team will travel to Bayern Munich and host Real Madrid, while Borussia Dortmund are also included in their schedule. Those matches represent some of the most demanding fixtures available.
However, Arsenal also drew Sabah and Slovan Bratislava from Pot 4. They are currently among the lowest-ranked teams to qualify for the competition. As a result, Arsenal’s schedule contains a difficult upper tier but a relatively soft lower tier.
Lens sit at the opposite end of the rankings. Their opponents have an average rating of 92.1, making their fixture list the toughest in the competition.
Atlético Madrid are close behind on 92.0. Diego Simeone’s side will face Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Liverpool, as well as travelling to Stuttgart and playing Bodø/Glimt.
Manchester City have the most difficult schedule among the five Premier League clubs, with their opponents averaging 91.7. They will face European champions Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, while Napoli add another major test from Pot 3.
Aston Villa also face a demanding league phase. Their schedule includes PSG and Barcelona, while Borussia Dortmund and Club Brugge were among the strongest possible Pot 2 opponents available to them.
Manchester United’s draw is challenging without being among the most difficult overall. They are set to face Bayern Munich, Sporting CP, Roma, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Atlético Madrid and Como, alongside one further opponent.
The importance of the draw is amplified by the structure of the competition. There are no traditional groups, meaning all 36 clubs compete in one table. The top eight advance directly to the last 16, while positions nine to 24 lead to the knockout play-offs.
Last season showed that fixture difficulty is not always decisive. Bayern had the toughest schedule but still finished second in the league phase, while Arsenal topped the table despite having one of the easier routes.
Even so, the difference between the draws could become crucial for clubs competing around the qualification line. Teams with favourable schedules may collect enough points to secure a top-eight finish, while those facing several European heavyweights could find themselves fighting simply to remain inside the top 24.
Stuttgart and Inter therefore begin with the clearest statistical advantage, while Lens, Atlético Madrid and Manchester City face the most demanding paths.
The true impact of the draw will become clearer when the league phase begins on September 8.