Track Tickets
Liverpool know their eight opponents for the 2026-2027 Champions League league phase, and of the English clubs in the draw they have come out of it best. There is no Paris Saint-Germain, no Real Madrid, no Bayern Munich and no Barcelona on the schedule.
That is not the same as an easy draw. Inter away is a serious assignment, Atletico Madrid are the sort of opponent who can suffocate a game at Anfield, and the trip to Istanbul is one of the loudest away days in European football.
Liverpool's league phase opponents
| Fixture | Opponent | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Atletico Madrid | Anfield, Liverpool |
| Home | Porto | Anfield, Liverpool |
| Home | Villarreal | Anfield, Liverpool |
| Home | RC Lens | Anfield, Liverpool |
| Away | Inter Milan | San Siro, Milan |
| Away | Club Brugge | Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges |
| Away | Fenerbahce | Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Istanbul |
| Away | LASK | Raiffeisen Arena, Linz |
The home draw: Atletico set the tone
Atletico Madrid at Anfield is the pick of Liverpool's home fixtures and the one that carries the most recent history. Diego Simeone's side have knocked Liverpool out of this competition before and remain the most awkward opponent in Spanish football, defensively organised and comfortable turning a match into a grind. Anfield on a European night is the best possible setting for that kind of contest.
Porto are familiar visitors and a fixture Liverpool have generally handled well, though the Portuguese side are two-time European champions who rarely turn up short of intensity. Villarreal complete a strong trio: the 2021 Europa League winners reached the semi-finals of this competition as recently as 2022 and know exactly how to frustrate a possession side.
RC Lens are the newcomers to this level and deserve more respect than their profile abroad suggests, having finished second in Ligue 1 and won the Coupe de France last season. On paper this is the most winnable of Liverpool's home four, but Lens are not a side to be taken lightly.
The away draw: Milan and Istanbul stand out
Inter away is comfortably the hardest fixture in the draw. Three-time European champions, finalists as recently as 2025, and a club that treats this competition with total seriousness. The San Siro under lights is one of the great European occasions, and Inter's defensive structure makes them very difficult to beat on their own pitch.
Fenerbahce away is the trip that will worry the travelling support least about the football and most about the noise. The Sukru Saracoglu is among the most intimidating grounds in Europe, and Turkish clubs at home in this competition regularly take points off far bigger names. Club Brugge present a similar problem on a smaller scale: the Jan Breydel is compact and loud, and the Belgian side have built a habit of causing upsets in the league phase.
LASK is the most straightforward of the eight. The Austrian side reached this stage through qualifying and Liverpool will expect three points in Linz, but the new Raiffeisen Arena has given them a genuine home advantage since it opened.
The verdict on Liverpool's draw
Compared with what Arsenal and Manchester City received, this is a good draw. Liverpool have avoided every one of the competition's heavyweight names, and the strongest side they face, Inter, is the only opponent who would be a clear favourite against them on the day. Four of the eight, Porto, Lens, Club Brugge and LASK, are fixtures Liverpool will target as wins.
The risk is complacency rather than quality. The top eight in the single league table go straight to the round of 16, ninth to 24th drop into a two-legged play-off, and a draw like this one leaves no room to lose points in Bruges or Linz. Handled properly, it is a schedule that should put Liverpool in the top eight.
Liverpool Champions League tickets
European nights at Anfield are among the most in-demand fixtures in the game, and a home draw featuring Atletico Madrid, Porto and Villarreal will move quickly. Browse the available fixtures, choose your section of the ground and book your Liverpool tickets in advance. The season ends with the Champions League final at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid.
Frequently asked questions
Who do Liverpool play in the Champions League league phase?
Liverpool host Atletico Madrid, Porto, Villarreal and RC Lens at Anfield, and travel to Inter Milan, Club Brugge, Fenerbahce and LASK.
How many Champions League matches do Liverpool play?
Eight in the league phase, four at home and four away, against eight different opponents. Finishing in the top eight of the single league table means direct qualification for the round of 16.
Which is Liverpool's toughest fixture?
Inter away at the San Siro. The Italian side are three-time European champions and reached the final of this competition in 2025.
