Champions League September 16: Full Match Schedule and Key Highlights of the 2025/26 Season Opening Day
On Tuesday, September 16, the football world will witness the kickoff of the main European club tournament — the Champions League of the 2025/26 season.
This day marks a significant milestone, especially as for the first time in two decades, no Ukrainian clubs managed to qualify for the main stage of the tournament, raising concerns about the development of Ukrainian football on the continent.
The day’s fixtures promise excitement and intense competition.The main matches start at 7:45 PM, featuring a confrontation between Athletic Bilbao from Spain and Arsenal London, one of the favorites of this year’s Champions League.
Later in the evening, several other key matches are scheduled: PSV from the Netherlands will face Union from Belgium, and Portuguese club Benfica will compete against Azerbaijani team Qarabag, while Italian giants Juventus will host Borussia Dortmund from Germany.
Additionally, Real Madrid from Spain will take on Marseille from France.
At 10:00 PM, another captivating duel will unfold between Tottenham Hotspur from England and Villarreal from Spain.
This season marks the second time the Champions League is played under a significant reform, introduced in 2024/25.
The new format involves a single league where each team plays eight matches against different opponents.
The knockout phase will follow the traditional format, culminating in the final match scheduled for May 30, 2026, in Budapest, Hungary, where the top European clubs will vie for the prestigious trophy.Unfortunately, Ukrainian clubs like Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kyiv have yet to secure their spots in this elite competition, instead learning their opponents in the Europa Conference League.
Additionally, recent news highlight a remarkable achievement by Luka Modric, who, at 40, scored his debut goal for AC Milan and set a new record in the Italian Serie A.This series of events exemplifies the constant evolution of football — formats change, new heroes emerge, and the excitement of the Champions League kickoff provides a vivid snapshot of the sport’s vibrant dynamics worldwide.