![Who are Bayern Munich’s rivals in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League? [FOTOS]](http://depor.com/resizer/v2/MKUHIQEDCVHXXE4RNFQNR5ZAOA.jpg?auth=6523561f95681e57b3af31874687dfddc9aef9a571245b040bd94c8e9483b563&width=980&height=528&quality=75&smart=true)
Bayern Munich are about to learn the first contours of their Champions League journey. Thursday’s league‑phase draw in Monaco (6 p.m. CEST) will slot the Bundesliga champions into an eight‑game slate against opponents drawn from four seeded pots, two per pot, with no same‑nation clashes and a cap of two opponents from any single association.
Seeded by UEFA club coefficient, Bayern sit in Pot 1 behind only Real Madrid and Manchester City, which means heavyweight matchups are still in play even at the top tier. The draw mechanics promise variety over repetition, emphasizing breadth of opposition rather than home-and-home grinds.
Under UEFA’s expanded 36-team “league phase,” every club plays four at home and four away, all counting toward a single standings table. The top eight advance straight to the round of 16; places 9–24 head to two-legged play-offs to join them.
It’s a format built for big nights and tight margins, with the bracket path from the last 16 onward also sketched out after the draw. Mark the calendar: league-phase dates run from mid-September through late January, with knockout rounds from February to May and the final set for May 30, 2026, in Budapest.
Who are Bayern Munich’s eight players in the 2025-26 Champions League?
Here’s where you’ll find Bayern Munich’s opponents:
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Possible Bayern opponents by pot
- Pot 1: Paris Saint‑Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Liverpool, Inter, Chelsea, Barcelona; Borussia Dortmund is excluded as a same‑nation team.
- Pot 2: Arsenal, Atlético de Madrid, Benfica, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Club Brugge; Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt are excluded as German clubs.
- Pot 3: Tottenham, PSV, Ajax, Napoli, Sporting, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Bodø/Glimt, Marseille.
- Pot 4: Copenhagen, Monaco, Galatasaray, Union Saint‑Gilloise, Qarabag, Athletic Club, Newcastle United, Pafos, Kairat Almaty.
Key dates
League phase
- Matchday 1: 16-18 September 2025
- Matchday 2: 30 September-1 October 2025
- Matchday 3: 21/22 October 2025
- Matchday 4: 4/5 November 2025
- Matchday 5: 25/26 November 2025
- Matchday 6: 9/10 December 2025
- Matchday 7: 20/21 January 2026
- Matchday 8: 28 January 2026
Knockout phase
- Play-offs: 17/18 & 24/25 February 2026
- Round of 16: 10/11 & 17/18 March 2026
- Quarter-finals: 7/8 & 14/15 April 2026
- Semi-finals: 28/29 April & 5/6 May 2026
- Final: 30 May 2026 (Budapest)
Draws
- League phase: 28 August 2025
- Knockout play-offs: 30 January 2026
- Round of 16, quarters, semis, final: 27 February 2026
