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Champions League 2026-27 draw: Liverpool-Real Madrid, Inter-Arsenal and Juve-Benfica banned at home

Ahead of the 2026-27 Champions League league phase draw, UEFA has ruled out three specific home fixtures under an anti-repetition rule introduced when the competition format changed.

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Champions League 2026-27 draw: Liverpool-Real Madrid, Inter-Arsenal and Juve-Benfica banned at home
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Before the 2026-27 Champions League league phase draw, scheduled for Thursday 27 August at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, UEFA has confirmed that three home matchups are already excluded from the draw under its regulations.

Article 16.03 of the competition rules prohibits a team from hosting the same opponent in three consecutive editions of the league phase. In practice, Liverpool cannot host Real Madrid at Anfield: the Reds have already beaten the Merengues 2-0 at home in 2024-25, then 1-0 in 2025-26. Inter Milan is in the same situation with Arsenal, after hosting the Gunners twice — a 1-0 victory in 2024-25, a 1-3 defeat in 2025-26. The same logic applies to Juventus, which hosted Benfica in 2024-25 (0-2 defeat) and then in 2025-26 (2-0 victory).

This restriction does not mean these clashes are impossible. If the draw selects them, the rule simply reverses the venue: Real Madrid would host Liverpool at Santiago-Bernabéu, Arsenal would welcome Inter at Emirates Stadium, and Benfica would play at home against Juventus at Estádio da Luz.

The rule in question was introduced two years ago, when the Champions League switched to its new format, replacing the traditional group stage with a single league of eight matchdays.

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