Champions League draw: Bayern, Dortmund face Arsenal; Leipzig meets both Manchester clubs

The draw for the 2026/27 Champions League group stage has set up compelling matchups for German clubs. FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund were drawn to face Arsenal, the finalists from the previous season. Bayern will host their match in Munich's Allianz Arena, while Dortmund faces a trip to London.

RB Leipzig faces a challenging path, scheduled to play against both Manchester clubs, United and City. Additionally, Leipzig will travel to the Santiago Bernabéu to face Real Madrid. VfB Stuttgart's draw includes an initial home game against Atlético Madrid, followed by an away match against Inter Milan.

The group stage kicks off with the first matchday from September 8 to 10. The phase will conclude in January, after which the knockout rounds will commence. The final match of the tournament is set to take place on June 5 in Madrid.

Financial incentives are substantial for participating clubs. Each team receives an 18.62 million euro starting bonus for entering the group stage. Additional prize money is awarded for wins (2.1 million euros) and draws (700,000 euros). Bonuses are also distributed based on final standings in the group, with the top eight teams receiving two million euros each, and teams ranked ninth to sixteenth earning one million euros. Further bonuses await clubs progressing through the knockout stages.