Things are set to get exciting for FC Bayern on Thursday evening. Numerous top clubs await as potential opponents in the Champions League draw.
On Thursday, FC Bayern will find out who they’ll face in the group stage of the 2026–27 Champions League. Starting at 6 p.m., the eight opponents for the German record champions will be drawn in Monaco. Fans can watch the draw via livestream, and FCBinside will provide all the details in a live ticker.
Bayern is in Pot 1 based on its UEFA club coefficient. However, that doesn’t protect the Munich team from facing off against other European heavyweights. Under the new Champions League format, each club is drawn against two opponents from each of the four pots—including two from its own pot.
The only matches excluded are those against clubs from the same country. Therefore, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and VfB Stuttgart cannot be drawn against FC Bayern. Additionally, a team may face no more than two clubs from the same national association.
Pot 1, in particular, promises some real showdowns for Bayern. Alongside FCB, this pot includes Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Barcelona, Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Inter Milan, and Atlético Madrid, among others.
From Real Madrid to Manchester United—anything is possible
This means it’s already clear even before the draw that Bayern will face two top-tier opponents from Pot 1. A rematch with defending champion Paris Saint-Germain is just as possible as a showdown with Real Madrid or FC Barcelona. They could also face English heavyweights Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City.
Pot 2 doesn’t look much easier. Among the teams there are Manchester United, Europa League champion Aston Villa, FC Porto, AS Roma, Sporting Lisbon, and Betis Sevilla. PSV Eindhoven and Club Brugge are also in the mix. Only Borussia Dortmund is ruled out as a potential opponent.
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Pot three also features several prominent names. Bayern Munich, for example, could face SSC Napoli, Feyenoord Rotterdam, Villarreal, Galatasaray, or Fenerbahçe. Matches against Shakhtar Donetsk, OSC Lille, and Bodø/Glimt are also possible. However, RB Leipzig cannot be drawn against the Munich team.
On paper, the supposedly easier matches are in Pot 4. That pot includes Slavia Prague, Slovan Bratislava, AEK Athens, LASK, Como 1907, RC Lens, Viking Stavanger, and Sabah FK. VfB Stuttgart is also not a potential opponent for Bayern here due to the country rule.
An overview of Bayern’s potential opponents
Pot 1:
– Real Madrid
– Paris Saint-Germain
– Liverpool FC
– Inter Milan
– Manchester City
– Arsenal FC
– FC Barcelona
– Atlético Madrid
Pot 2:
– AS Roma
– Sporting Lisbon
– Aston Villa
– FC Porto
– Manchester United
– Club Brugge
– Betis Sevilla
– PSV Eindhoven
Pot 3:
– Feyenoord Rotterdam
– OSC Lille
– Bodø/Glimt
– SSC Napoli
– Villarreal CF
– Fenerbahçe
– Shakhtar Donetsk
– Galatasaray
Pot 4:
– Slavia Prague
– Slovan Bratislava
– AEK Athens
– LASK
– Como 1907
– RC Lens
– Viking Stavanger
– Sabah FK
In total, Bayern will play four home and four away games during the group stage. The top eight teams in the combined standings qualify directly for the round of 16. Teams ranked ninth through 24th, on the other hand, must go through the playoffs.
The Champions League kicks off September 8–10 with the first matchday. By Thursday evening at the latest, Bayern will know which eight opponents they must face on their way to the knockout stage.