Greek champions AEK Athens have drawn European heavyweights Real Madrid, Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund in the League Phase of the UEFA Champions League following their return to Europe's top club competition after an eight-year absence.
The Athens-based club secured their place among the continent's elite following an emphatic 4-0 victory over Bulgarian side Levski Sofia in qualification. Reaching the main stage of the tournament has already guaranteed the Greek side more than 20 million euros in revenue.
AEK will play four home matches and four away matches in the single-table league format. They are set to host Spanish giants Real Madrid, Italian club Roma, Turkish side Galatasaray and Austrian team LASK Linz at home in the Greek capital.
Their away fixtures will see them travel to England to face Premier League side Manchester City, Germany to take on Borussia Dortmund, as well as meetings with Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk and Italian side Como.
League phase schedule and format
The detailed match schedule, confirming the exact sequence and dates of individual fixtures, will be officially announced on Saturday, August 29.
Under UEFA's Champions League format, all 36 participating teams compete in a single league table. The top eight teams at the end of the League Phase will qualify automatically for the round of 16. Clubs finishing between ninth and 24th place will enter a two-legged play-off round to fight for the remaining eight places in the last 16, while teams finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated from all European competition.
The League Phase fixtures are scheduled to take place across eight matchdays between September 2026 and January 2027:
- Matchday 1: September 8 to 10, 2026
- Matchday 2: October 13 to 14, 2026
- Matchday 3: October 20 to 21, 2026
- Matchday 4: November 3 to 4, 2026
- Matchday 5: November 24 to 25, 2026
- Matchday 6: December 8 to 9, 2026
- Matchday 7: January 19 to 20, 2027
- Matchday 8: January 27, 2027
Club reaction and European targets
AEK, also known as Enosi, expressed determination to embrace the return to top-tier European football and push for positive results in every encounter.
Club officials acknowledged that navigating the League Phase will present a significant challenge against elite opposition, but stated that the team is intent on making the most of the tournament while striving for the best possible outcomes.
