Liverpool ‘barred’ from hosting Real Madrid in Champions League clash under new UEFA regulation
A new UEFA regulation could prevent Real Madrid from visiting Anfield for a Champions League league-phase clash with Liverpool in the 2026/27 campaign.
On Thursday, the six English clubs qualified for the 2025/26 edition – Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham, and Newcastle – discovered their fixtures for the eight-match, 36-team group format.
Some of the standout ties include:
Arsenal: Bayern Munich (h), Inter (a), Atlético (h), Club Brugge (a), Olympiakos (h), Slavia Prague (a), Kairat Almaty (h), Athletic Club (a)
Chelsea: Barcelona (h), Bayern Munich (a), Benfica (h), Atalanta (a), Ajax (h), Napoli (a), Pafos (h), Qarabag (a)
Liverpool: Real Madrid (h), Inter (a), Atlético (h), Frankfurt (a), PSV (h), Marseille (a), Qarabag (h), Galatasaray (a)
Man City: Dortmund (h), Real Madrid (a), Leverkusen (h), Villarreal (a), Napoli (h), Bodø/Glimt (a), Galatasaray (h), Monaco (a)
Newcastle: Barcelona (h), PSG (a), Benfica (h), Leverkusen (a), PSV (h), Marseille (a), Athletic Club (h), Union Saint-Gilloise (a)
Tottenham: Dortmund (h), PSG (a), Villarreal (h), Frankfurt (a), Slavia Prague (h), Bodø/Glimt (a), Copenhagen (h), Monaco (a)
The schedule sets up some intriguing reunions: Harry Kane will face former club Spurs when Bayern take on Arsenal in north London, Kevin De Bruyne will line up for Napoli against Man City, David Luiz will return to Stamford Bridge with Pafos, and Trent Alexander-Arnold is due back at Anfield with Real Madrid.
However, from the 2026/27 season, a fresh UEFA ruling will alter the fixture possibilities. As outlined on UEFA’s website, if two teams meet in consecutive seasons with the same home team, they cannot be drawn with that same home advantage for a third straight year.
Since Liverpool hosted Real Madrid in 2024/25 and will again in 2025/26, any clash between the two in 2026/27 would automatically be staged at the Santiago Bernabéu.
