EXPLAINER
Atletico vs Man United and Man City vs PSG headline the Champions League match day two action as the competition returns.
The UEFA Champions League (UCL) 2026-27 enters its second round of matches this week, with 36 teams in action across Europe as clubs return to the elite football competition.
After the first set of league fixtures, two-time title holders Paris Saint-Germain lead the points table with three points, followed by six-time champions Bayern Munich and five-time winners Barcelona, who also won their opening matches.
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The competition’s league phase format, now in its third year, started in September and runs until January 2027. It will be followed by the knockout rounds, with the champions crowned in early June.
Here’s all you need to know about this year’s competition:
What is the Champions League?
The Champions League is an annual club competition that features the best teams from across Europe.
This season marks the third time that 36 teams will participate in the main round, an increase from 32 under the old format.
What is the 2026-27 Champions League format?
Since 2003, the UCL has featured 32 clubs split into eight groups of four, with the top two from each section advancing to the last 16.
That has changed radically in recent years.
From the 2024-25 season, the 36 clubs are pooled into a single league in a “Swiss system” more commonly associated with chess.
Earlier, participating teams played six games in the group stage, facing each opponent home and away. Now, each club plays eight games, one each against eight different opponents.
How does the Champions League knockout format work?
At the end of the league phase, the top eight qualify directly for the knockouts, while those between the ninth and 24th places have to compete in two-legged knockout-phase playoffs.
Teams ranked 25th and below are eliminated.
The UCL knockout format is straightforward – it begins with the round of 16, followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final.
When are the league phase and knockout matches?
The league phase matches are scheduled for:
- Match day 1: September 8-10
- Match day 2: October 13 and 14
- Match day 3: October 20 and 21
- Match day 4: November 3 and 4
- Match day 5: November 24 and 25
- Match day 6: December 8 and 9
- Match day 7: January 19 and 20
- Match day 8: January 27
The knockout phase matches are scheduled for (all dates in 2027):
- Playoffs: February 16, 17 and 23, 24
- Round of 16: March 9, 10 and 16, 17
- Quarterfinals: April 6, 7 and 13, 14
- Semifinals: April 27, 28 and May 4, 5
- Final: June 5
Which are the best Champions League matches to watch?
The key matches to follow on matchdays two and three are as follows:
Top five UCL matches to watch this week
- Arsenal vs Lille, Tuesday 19:00 GMT
- Atletico vs Manchester United, Tuesday 19:00 GMT
- Galatasaray vs Barcelona, Tuesday 19:00 GMT
- Manchester City vs PSG, Wednesday 19:00 GMT
- AS Roma vs Real Madrid, Wednesday 19:00 GMT
Top five Champions League matches to watch next week:
- PSG vs Barcelona, October 20, 19:00 GMT
- Liverpool vs Villarreal, October 20, 19:00 GMT
- Como vs Manchester United, October 21, 16:45 GMT
- Bayern Munich vs Arsenal, October 21, 19:00 GMT
- Real Madrid vs RB Leipzig, October 21, 19:00 GMT
What are the key UCL storylines to follow?
Man City’s home clash with PSG headlines the upcoming round of matches, marking the troubled Etihad club’s first Champions League match since an independent commission found them guilty of breaking more than 100 Premier League financial rules.
Elsewhere, City’s crosstown rivals, under-fire Man United, are also in action this week. They head to Madrid to face an in-form Atletico, hoping to register just their third win this season.
Meanwhile, manager Jose Mourinho will face his former club AS Roma when Real travel to the Italian capital.
Who are the top players to watch in the Champions League?
PSG’s Ferran Torres, who scored a hat-trick in the first UCL match, is a joint top scorer in this year’s UCL alongside Ermedin Demirovic of Stuttgart.
Also watch out for Man City’s Erling Haaland, Bayern Munich’s talented Michael Olise and PSG forward Ousmane Dembele, all of whom scored two goals in their respective UCL openers.