Clash Reoccurs: Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain - Events in Frankfurt
Champions League Group Stage Kicks Off with Exciting Matchups
The UEFA Champions League group stage for the 2025/26 season is set, promising an exciting journey for some of Europe's top football clubs. A total of 36 teams will compete, each playing eight games starting from September 16th and concluding in January, followed by the knockout rounds leading to the final in Budapest on May 30th.
Among the participating teams, there are four newcomers: Kazakh club Qairat Almaty, Cypriot champions Pafos FC, last year's Europa League semi-finalists FK Bodo Glimt, and Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise.
One of the most anticipated matchups is between Eintracht Frankfurt, who will face FC Liverpool, Galatasaray Istanbul, Tottenham Hotspur, and Atalanta Bergamo. Frankfurt will also travel to Barcelona to face Hansi Flick, Naples, and Atlético Madrid, and to Azerbaijan to face FK Karabakh Agdam.
Bayer Leverkusen will face PSG and Manchester City in the Champions League group stage, with Manchester City being an away match. Bayer Leverkusen will also host Newcastle United.
FC Bayern Munich, last season's runners-up, have been drawn against the reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, FC Chelsea, Sporting Lisbon, and PSV Eindhoven in away matches. Bayern's sporting director, Max Eberl, is particularly excited about the matches against Paris, Chelsea, and Arsenal. The FC Bayern Munich UEFA Champions League group stage 2025/26 match schedule is: Home vs. Chelsea (Sep 17), Away vs. Pafos, Home vs. Club Brugge, Away vs. Paris Saint-Germain, Away vs. Arsenal, Home vs. Sporting CP, Home vs. Union Saint-Gilloise, Away vs. PSV Eindhoven.
Borussia Dortmund will face Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in away matches, as well as Norwegian outsider FK Bodø/Glimt and Danish club FC Copenhagen. Dortmund will also travel to Italy to face Juventus Turin.
Each team receives a €18.62 million prize for starting in the group stage. Teams receive €2.1 million for each win in the group stage and €700,000 for each draw. Bonus rankings are awarded to the top eight teams with €2 million each and to teams ranked 9 to 16 with €1 million each.
The top eight teams directly qualify for the round of 16, while teams ranked 9 to 24 play in a play-off round for progression. Teams ranked 25 to 36 will have their international season ended.
Jan-Christian Dreesen, Bayern's chairman, is looking forward to "many magical nights." This sentiment is shared by many as the countdown to the Champions League group stage begins.
