The UEFA Champions League Is Back With Huge Nights Ahead for Villa, Liverpool and Arsenal

The UEFA Champions League returns this week, with Aston Villa, Liverpool and Arsenal all beginning their 2026/27 league phase campaigns.

Eventmasters offers Champions League hospitality for every home league phase fixture involving Aston Villa, Liverpool and Arsenal this season. Across Villa Park, Anfield and the Emirates Stadium, supporters and guests can watch some of Europe’s leading clubs from premium surroundings as the competition runs from September through to January.

The Champions League Is Finally Back

The 36-team league phase returns for a third season, with each club playing eight different opponents before the standings determine who progresses to the knockout stages. The top eight qualify directly for the Round of 16, while those finishing between ninth and 24th enter the knockout play-offs.

For Villa, Liverpool and Arsenal, the new campaign begins from three very different positions. Aston Villa return to the Champions League after winning last season’s Europa League, while Liverpool are back in Europe’s top competition after finishing fifth in the Premier League. Arsenal enter as Premier League champions and after reaching their first Champions League final in 20 years last season.

There are also major European fixtures already confirmed for English soil. Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund will visit the Emirates Stadium, Paris Saint-Germain and Dortmund travel to Villa Park, while Liverpool’s Anfield schedule begins immediately with Atlético Madrid before Villarreal and Porto arrive later in the campaign.

First, however, all three clubs must negotiate their opening fixtures.

Club Brugge vs Aston Villa: Villa Return to Europe’s Top Competition

Aston Villa are first into action when Unai Emery’s side travel to Belgium to face Club Brugge at 17:45 on Tuesday.

Bruges is familiar territory for Villa. They lost 1-0 there during the 2024/25 league phase before returning to Belgium in the Round of 16 and winning 3-1, eventually completing a 6-1 aggregate victory. That run took Villa as far as the quarter-finals, where they were eventually eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain despite a 3-2 second-leg victory at Villa Park.

Villa spent last season in the Europa League and went on to win the competition, securing another place among Europe’s elite in the process. Emery’s European record has become one of the defining features of his time in Birmingham, and the 2026/27 competition provides another opportunity for Villa to test themselves against the continent’s best.

The squad has changed significantly since last season. Ibrahim Mbaye, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Nicolas Jackson and Leon Goretzka were among the players added during the final stages of the summer window, while Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martínez were among the major departures.

Those changes leave Emery with a different group to the one that lifted the Europa League trophy, making the opening weeks of the season particularly important as Villa integrate their new arrivals. Club Brugge should provide an immediate indication of how quickly that new-look squad is settling.

The opening away game is followed by four Champions League nights at Villa Park. Fenerbahçe are the first visitors before Viking, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund all head to Birmingham during the league phase.

Liverpool vs Atlético Madrid: Champions League Returns to Anfield

Liverpool are the only one of the three clubs beginning their campaign at home, with Atlético Madrid arriving at Anfield for an 20:00 kick-off on Wednesday.

Andoni Iraola’s side head into the game after recording their first Premier League victory of the season at Ipswich Town on Friday. Alexander Isak scored twice inside the opening nine minutes of the 2-0 win, with Cody Gakpo providing both assists.

Liverpool’s attacking options have also been strengthened by the arrival of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. The France international made his debut from the bench at Portman Road after completing his transfer earlier in the week and joins Isak, Gakpo and Florian Wirtz among the attacking talent available to Iraola.

There has been change elsewhere too, with Ronald Araujo making his first Liverpool start against Ipswich. Iraola is still shaping the side he inherited during the summer, but Wednesday represents the first opportunity to see his Liverpool team in Champions League competition.

Atlético provide a difficult opening assignment. Diego Simeone’s side are established Champions League regulars and have plenty of experience in knockout European football, meaning Liverpool will have little time to ease themselves into the competition.

It is also the first of four major European nights at Anfield. Villarreal visit on Tuesday 20th October, Porto arrive on Wednesday 9th December and Lens complete Liverpool’s home league phase schedule on Wednesday 27th January.

Napoli vs Arsenal: Gunners Start Again After Final Defeat

Arsenal begin their Champions League season in Naples on Wednesday, with Mikel Arteta’s side travelling to face Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

The Gunners return to Europe after coming closer than ever to winning the competition last season. Arsenal reached their first Champions League final since 2006 and will now attempt to put together another challenge while simultaneously defending their Premier League title.

Their domestic start could hardly have gone better. Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea made it three Premier League wins from three, with Kai Havertz cancelling out Morgan Rogers’ early opener before Martin Ødegaard scored the winner shortly after half-time.

Arteta also has additional options within a squad which won the title last season. Christos Tzolis has quickly established himself following his arrival from Club Brugge and started against Chelsea, while Piero Hincapié came from the bench and summer addition Bruno Guimarães was also included in the matchday squad.

Tzolis is particularly familiar with Champions League football after helping Club Brugge win the Belgian title last season, while Arsenal retain the established quality of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Ødegaard, Havertz, Viktor Gyökeres and others who were involved in last season’s European run.

Napoli therefore represents a significant first test rather than an opportunity to gradually build into the league phase. Arsenal also have Bayern Munich, Real Betis and Slavia Prague to face away from home, while their programme at the Emirates Stadium contains some of the most attractive fixtures of the entire league phase.

European Nights to Come at Villa Park, Anfield and the Emirates Stadium

Matchday One only begins what will be five months of Champions League league phase football, and Eventmasters offers hospitality across all twelve home fixtures involving Aston Villa, Liverpool and Arsenal.

At Villa Park, the European schedule begins against Fenerbahçe before Viking arrive in October. The biggest home fixtures come later, with reigning European heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain visiting Birmingham before Borussia Dortmund complete Villa’s league phase programme.

Liverpool’s campaign starts with one of their biggest home fixtures immediately as Atlético Madrid head to Anfield. Villarreal follow in October, with Porto visiting in December before Lens arrive for the final matchday in January.

Arsenal’s first European home game comes against Lille on Tuesday 13th October. Borussia Dortmund then visit the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday 24th November before Real Madrid arrive in North London on Wednesday 9th December. Sabah complete the Gunners’ home league phase fixtures on Wednesday 27th January.

Those fixtures mean Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, Atlético Madrid, Villarreal and Porto are all among the clubs heading to Eventmasters’ partner venues over the coming months.

With Arsenal looking to build on last season’s run to the final, Villa returning to the Champions League as Europa League winners and Liverpool beginning a new European chapter under Iraola, the 2026/27 league phase brings together three very different English campaigns.

Champions League hospitality is available through Eventmasters for all home league phase fixtures involving Arsenal, Aston Villa and Liverpool, providing the opportunity to experience European nights at the Emirates Stadium, Villa Park and Anfield from premium hospitality surroundings.

UEFA Champions League Hospitality FAQs

When does the 2026/27 Champions League start?

The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase begins on Tuesday 8th September. Aston Villa are the first of the three clubs featured here to play, facing Club Brugge in Belgium, before Liverpool host Atlético Madrid and Arsenal travel to Napoli on Wednesday 9th September.

Can I book Champions League hospitality with Eventmasters?

Yes. Eventmasters offers hospitality for every home league phase fixture involving Aston Villa, Liverpool and Arsenal during the 2026/27 Champions League.

Which Champions League matches are Liverpool playing at Anfield?

Liverpool face Atlético Madrid, Villarreal, Porto and Lens at Anfield during the league phase. Their opening fixture against Atlético takes place on Wednesday 9th September.

Which Champions League teams are visiting the Emirates Stadium?

Arsenal host Lille, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Sabah at the Emirates Stadium. Real Madrid’s visit on Wednesday 9th December is one of the biggest fixtures in Arsenal’s league phase schedule.

Which Champions League teams are Aston Villa playing at Villa Park?

Aston Villa’s four home league phase opponents are Fenerbahçe, Viking, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund, with hospitality available through Eventmasters for all four matches.