Champions League: Thursday night action for Bayern, Familiar opponents for Dortmund, Leipzig and Stuttgart face debutants on MD01

On Saturday, UEFA released the full schedule for the 2025/26 Champions League league phase. FC Bayern, Borussia Dortmund and returnees RB Leipzig and VfB Stuttgart will represent Germany in Europe’s premium competition this season.

The six-time winners will play a Thursday night Champions League game for the first time in their history as they open their campaign at home against last season’s surprise package Bodø/Glimt on October 10th. 

Their next home game will be against Arsenal as they hope to avenge their 3-1 defeat from last season's league phase. The away games against Atlético de Madrid and Manchester United will be played on matchday 4 and 7, respectively.

Meanwhile, the 1997 winners Dortmund will start their European season with a home game against Villarreal. The Black and Yellows defeated the LaLiga outfit 4-0 when they met in a similar stage last season.

Niko Kovac’s side will face the last two losing finalists Arsenal and Inter on matchdays 5 and 6, respectively, before another trip to England to play Europa League winners Aston Villa.

Meanwhile, RB Leipzig will play against Como on their return to European football. The Serie A side is coached by Cesc Fabregas, who was one of several names linked with Leipzig’s managerial job last summer.

Martin Demichelis’ debut Champions League season as a coach will have tricky trips to Real Madrid (MD03) and Manchester United (MD06), while they host Manchester City in the first midweek of November.

Stuttgart will also start their campaign against Champions League debutants as they host Norwegian side Viking FK on matchday 1. Sebastian Hoeneß’s side have a relatively easier draw on paper as they face Inter (MD05) in their only away fixture against a club from a top-five league.

Full Champions League schedule for Bundesliga clubs

MD01

Tuesday 8 September: Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal
Wednesday 9 September: Stuttgart vs Viking (early kickoff)
Thursday 10 September: Como vs Leipzig and Bayern München vs Bodø/Glimt

MD02

Tuesday 13 October: Viking vs Bayern München and Leipzig vs PSV Eindhoven
Wednesday 14 October: Bodø/Glimt vs Borussia Dortmund and Slovan Bratislava vs Stuttgart

MD03

Tuesday 20 October: Sabah vs Borussia Dortmund (early kickoff) and Stuttgart vs Atlético de Madrid
Wednesday 21 October: Bayern München vs Arsenal and Real Madrid vs Leipzig

MD04

Tuesday 3 November: Galatasaray vs Stuttgart (early kickoff) and Atlético Madrid vs Bayern München
Wednesday 4 November: Borussia Dortmund vs Real Betis and Leipzig vs Manchester City

MD05

Tuesday 24 November: Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund and Leipzig vs Lens
Wednesday 25 November: Lille vs Bayern München and Inter vs Stuttgart

MD06

Tuesday 8 December: Bayern München vs Slavia Praha and Manchester United vs Leipzig
Wednesday 9 December: Borussia Dortmund vs Inter and Stuttgart vs Lille

MD07

Tuesday 19 January 2027: Aston Villa vs Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart vs Club Brugge
Wednesday 20 January 2027: Manchester United vs Bayern München and Leipzig vs Shakhtar Donetsk

MD08

Wednesday 27 January 2027: Bayern München vs Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund vs AEK Athens, Feyenoord vs Leipzig and PSV Eindhoven vs Stuttgart