Chelsea will open their 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign with a tough away fixture against Bayern Munich on 17 September.
The draw for the 2025/26 season was conducted on Thursday, with Chelsea drawn into a group containing several of Europe’s most recognisable names.
And following the conclusion of the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League draws, UEFA has now released the official fixture list.
For Chelsea, the first game sees them travelling to Germany to meet Bayern in what promises to be one of the standout opening encounters.
After that trip to Munich, the Blues will return to Stamford Bridge for their first home match against Benfica on 30 September.
The Portuguese side, with their rich history in Europe, will therefore provide an early test of Enzo Maresca’s squad on home soil.
October will then continue at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea welcome Ajax on 22 October. The Dutch champions are renowned for producing exciting young talent and maintaining a strong European pedigree, and this makes it another challenging fixture for the London side.
From there, Chelsea will face their longest journey of the group stage when they travel to Azerbaijan to meet Qarabağ FK on 5 November.
Although less high-profile than some of their other opponents, the clash still carries weight and could play a key role in the wider group picture.
Attention will then quickly turn to a major home showdown against Barcelona on 25 November.
The Catalan giants remain one of the continent’s most decorated clubs, and their visit to Stamford Bridge will add further intensity to an already demanding schedule.
The group stage will continue with a trip to Italy to face Atalanta on 9 December, before resuming after the winter break with a home fixture against Cypriot side Pafos FC on 21 January 2026.
Finally, Chelsea will close out the group away to Napoli on 28 January 2026, a game that could ultimately prove decisive in determining progression to the knockout stages.
Chelsea Champions League Fixtures 2025/26
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17 September 2025, 21:00 – FC Bayern München (A)
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30 September 2025, 21:00 – SL Benfica (H)
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22 October 2025, 21:00 – AFC Ajax (H)
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5 November 2025, 18:45 – Qarabağ FK (A)
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25 November 2025, 21:00 – FC Barcelona (H)
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9 December 2025, 21:00 – Atalanta BC (A)
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21 January 2026, 21:00 – Pafos FC (H)
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28 January 2026, 21:00 – SSC Napoli (A)
