RB Leipzig has been handed an extremely demanding group in the UEFA Champions League draw held on Thursday evening in Monaco. The Saxony-based club will face record champions Real Madrid along with the two English top clubs Manchester City and Manchester United in the new season. Die Welt Sport reported this following the computer-assisted draw. For RB Leipzig, who finished the 2025 Bundesliga season in third place with 65 points, this marks the beginning of a phase with major challenges. Marco Rose's team is currently preparing for their next match, a home game against Borussia Mönchengladbach on August 29, 2026.
Which opponents await RB Leipzig?
In addition to the three European heavyweights Real Madrid, Manchester City and Manchester United, RB Leipzig will also face other notable clubs. These include Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven, Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, Feyenoord Rotterdam, French club RC Lens and Italian debutants Como. The Italian newcomers are coached by former star Cesc Fàbregas. The first round of the new season is scheduled for the period between September 8 and 10. The exact schedule and order of matches are to be announced by Saturday.
What do the groups look like for the other German clubs?
Alongside RB Leipzig, three other Bundesliga clubs are represented in the group phase: FC Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and VfB Stuttgart. German double-winners Bayern Munich will face last season's finalists Arsenal London, Spain's Real Betis, Norwegian side FK Bodø/Glimt and Slavia Prague, among others. Away games for Bayern also include matches against Atlético Madrid, Manchester United, OSC Lille and Norwegian debutants Viking FK. Borussia Dortmund will meet Inter Milan, Arsenal London, Real Betis, FK Bodø/Glimt, Aston Villa, Villarreal CF, AEK Athens and Azerbaijani newcomers Sabah in their group. Former Bayern professional Leon Goretzka plays for Aston Villa. VfB Stuttgart will have to contend with Inter Milan, Atlético Madrid, Club Brugge, PSV Eindhoven, Galatasaray Istanbul, OSC Lille, Slovan Bratislava and Viking FK.
What does the draw mean for the season planning?
The tough group means an early test of endurance for RB Leipzig in the 2026/27 season. The team must manage its resources well, especially with the parallel battle in the Bundesliga continuing. Last season, Leipzig scored 66 goals while conceding 47, resulting in a positive goal difference of +19. However, the club finished 24 points behind champions Bayern Munich. The coming weeks will show how the team copes with the double pressure. Fans can follow the further course of preparation on our squad page.
What is the new Champions League format?
A fundamentally reformed format comes into force this season. Instead of the previous groups of four teams, 36 clubs now play in a single league table. Each team plays eight matches, four at home and four away. The top eight teams in the table qualify directly for the round of 16. Places nine to 24 play in play-offs for the remaining eight round of 16 tickets. Each club receives a starting premium of 18.62 million euros for participating in the league phase. A win brings a further 2.1 million euros, a draw 700,000 euros. Additional money is awarded for the final placement in the table. UEFA expects revenue of 4.4 billion euros for the entire season. The final will be held on Saturday, June 5 of the coming year at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, the home ground of Atlético Madrid.
What are RB Leipzig's goals in this competition?
Sporting director Max Eberl expressed ambitious but realistic goals after the draw. "It is an exciting phase. But we want to try to get into the top eight," said Eberl. This goal underscores the club's ambition to establish itself among the European elite. The current table situation and upcoming tasks can also be viewed on our standings overview. The first hurdle, however, is the Bundesliga home game against Gladbach before the European focus comes back to the fore. The upcoming tasks require the highest concentration from the entire team and coaching staff from the first minute.
